Colorado, 1998

High Wind in Colorado, December 27 to 28, 1998

December 27 to 28, 1998 · NWS BOU · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Damaging downslope winds formed in and near the Front Range Foothills. Peak wind gusts ranged anywhere from 71 to 114 mph (99 kts).

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
4

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.

Damaging downslope winds formed in and near the Front Range Foothills. Peak wind gusts ranged anywhere from 71 to 114 mph (99 kts). Numerous trees were reportedly blown down in the Coal Creek Canyon area and near Gross Reservoir. Power lines were also downed which resulted in scattered outages. A roof of a home was also extensively damaged at Carter Lake. Along Interstate 25, north of Fort Collins, strong cross-winds blew a semi-trailer off the highway. There were no injuries in the mishap. Peak wind reports included: 114 mph (99 kts) at Wondervu, 110 mph (96 kts) above 12000 ft at Breckenridge Ski Area, 96 mph (83 kts) at Carter Lake, 92 mph (80 kts) at Golden Gate Canyon, 88 mph (76 kts) at Coal Creek Canyon, 83 mph (72 kts) 4 miles south of Livermore, 79 mph (69 kts) at Red Feather Lakes and 8 miles west of Conifer, 74 mph (64 kts) 1 mile east of Buckhorn Mountain and 71 mph (61 kts) at Estes Park and 5 miles west-northwest of Wellington.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Northern Front Range Foothills/Upper Laramie and Cache la Poudre River Basins

When
December 27, 10:55 PM MST to December 28, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Front Range Foothills/Upper Laramie and Cache la Poudre River Basins forecast zone
Measured
99 kt (114 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.380, -105.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Front Range Foothills/Clear Creek Basin

When
December 27, 10:55 PM MST to December 28, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Southern Front Range Foothills/Clear Creek Basin forecast zone
Measured
80 kt (92 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.516, -105.413 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Summit County/Mosquito Range/Indian Peaks

When
December 27, 10:55 PM MST to December 28, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Summit County/Mosquito Range/Indian Peaks forecast zone
Measured
96 kt (110 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.726, -105.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Larimer and Northwestern Weld Counties

When
December 27, 10:55 PM MST to December 28, 4:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern Larimer and Northwestern Weld Counties forecast zone
Measured
83 kt (96 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.611, -104.926 (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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 1998

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: 5676973, 5676974, 5676975, 5676976.