Lightning, La Plata
- When
- August 10, 2:00 PM MST to 2:30 PM MST
- Where
- La Plata County, 4 mi N of Rockwood
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning Strike in Colorado, August 10, 1997
During a half hour period, many trees in La Plata County were struck by lightning and at least five trees fell on power lines. Several locations at or near Electra Lake and Bayfield were without power for up to 11 hours.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 GJT wrote it up.
During a half hour period, many trees in La Plata County were struck by lightning and at least five trees fell on power lines. Several locations at or near Electra Lake and Bayfield were without power for up to 11 hours.
The radar
The Grand Junction radar (KGJX), 200 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.
Event by event
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Nevada, August 10, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Texas, August 10, 1997
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, August 10 to 11, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Colorado, August 10, 1997
- Flash Flood in Utah, August 10, 1997
- Hail in Texas, August 10, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Utah, August 10, 1997
- Flash Flood and Hail in Idaho, August 10, 1997
- High Wind in Alaska, August 10 to 11, 1997
- Flood and Heavy Rain in Idaho, August 10, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Texas, August 10, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, August 10, 1997
More
Every storm in Colorado in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, August 1997
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: 5618586.