Colorado, 1996

High Wind in Colorado, April 24 to 25, 1996

April 24 to 25, 1996 · NWS BOU · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

High winds gusting from 60 to 90 mph (53 to 79 kts) again developed east of the Continental Divide and spread into the Northeast Plains. Several power lines and poles were downed.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOU wrote it up.

High winds gusting from 60 to 90 mph (53 to 79 kts) again developed east of the Continental Divide and spread into the Northeast Plains. Several power lines and poles were downed. In one instance, a downed electrical lines sparked a housefire in Fort Morgan. The home received extensive damage but no injuries were reported. Elsewhere, a portion of a roof was blown off in Fort Collins and strong crosswinds blew a furniture delivery truck on its side near Berthoud in Larimer County.Some of the stronger gusts included: 79 kts atop Squaw Mountainwest of Denver, 78 kts atop Table Mesa near Boulder, 74 kts at Golden Gate Canyon, 73 kts at Red Feather Lakes, 71 kts at Wondervu and an estimated 66 kts at Fort Morgan.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Coordinates
40.382, -105.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet forecast zone
Measured
79 kt (91 mph)
Coordinates
39.726, -105.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet forecast zone
Measured
73 kt (84 mph)
Coordinates
40.380, -105.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Jefferson & W Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Ne Park Counties Below 9000 Feet

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Jefferson & W Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Ne Park Counties Below 9000 Feet forecast zone
Measured
74 kt (85 mph)
Coordinates
39.516, -105.413 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph)
Coordinates
40.611, -104.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Boulder & Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet / W Broomfield County

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Boulder & Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet / W Broomfield County forecast zone
Measured
78 kt (90 mph)
Coordinates
39.878, -105.220 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, N Douglas County Below 6000 Feet / Denver / W Adams & Arapahoe Counties / E Broomfield County

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
N Douglas County Below 6000 Feet / Denver / W Adams & Arapahoe Counties / E Broomfield County forecast zone
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates
39.714, -104.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, C & S Weld County

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
C & S Weld County forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates
40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Morgan County

When
April 24, 4:00 PM MST to April 25, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Morgan County forecast zone
Measured
66 kt (76 mph)
Coordinates
40.263, -103.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5549450, 5549451, 5549452, 5549453, 5549454, 5549455, 5549456, 5549457, 5549458.