Colorado, 1998

High Wind in Colorado, November 17, 1998

November 17, 1998 · NWS GJT · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

Strong winds associated with a Pacific trough in conjunction with an upper level jet stream produced sustained winds of 40 to 50 MPH and wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH mainly over mountain ridges. Some of the stronger gusts included 96 MPH (83 knots) at Snowmass, 93 MPH at Telluride, 90 MPH at Red Mountain Pass, 64 MPH at Huntman Mesa, and 60 MPH at Gothic.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

Strong winds associated with a Pacific trough in conjunction with an upper level jet stream produced sustained winds of 40 to 50 MPH and wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH mainly over mountain ridges. Some of the stronger gusts included 96 MPH (83 knots) at Snowmass, 93 MPH at Telluride, 90 MPH at Red Mountain Pass, 64 MPH at Huntman Mesa, and 60 MPH at Gothic. At elevations below the 7000 foot level in northwest Colorado, wind gusts in excess of 50 MPH were common on exposed ridges.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Measured
58 kt (67 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys/Aspen and Vicinity

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys/Aspen and Vicinity forecast zone
Measured
83 kt (96 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Uncompahgre Plateau

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lower Yampa River Basin/Rangely and Vicinity

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Lower Yampa River Basin/Rangely and Vicinity forecast zone
Measured
45 kt (52 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.066, -108.109 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Central Yampa River Basin/Craig-Hayden and Vicinity

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Central Yampa River Basin/Craig-Hayden and Vicinity forecast zone
Measured
47 kt (54 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Measured
78 kt (90 mph)
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
November 17, 3:00 PM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Measured
78 kt (90 mph)
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (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, November 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: 5676499, 5676500, 5676501, 5676502, 5676503, 5676504, 5676505, 5676506, 5676507, 5676508.