Colorado, 2000

High Wind in Colorado, December 16, 2000

December 16, 2000 · NWS BOU · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

High winds clocked to 96 mph (83 kts) occurred in and near the North-Central Mountains and Front Range Foothills. Two semi-trailers were blown over along State Highway 285, northeast of Como.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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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  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
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  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 clocked to 96 mph (83 kts) occurred in and near the North-Central Mountains and Front Range Foothills. Two semi-trailers were blown over along State Highway 285, northeast of Como. High winds also forced the closure of Hoosier Pass, along Highway 9 between Breckenridge and Fairplay. Peak wind gusts included: 96 mph (83 kts) at Red Feather Lakes, 94 mph (82 kts) atop Niwot Ridge, 90 mph (78 kts) near Como, 87 mph (76 kts) at Georgetown Lake and NCAR, 84 mph (73 kts), 9 miles west-southwest of Rustic and 72 mph (63 kts) at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) near Boulder.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Northern Front Range Foothills/Upper Laramie and Cache la Poudre River Basins / C Boulder / Ne Gilpin / C Larimer

When
December 16, 5:45 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Front Range Foothills/Upper Laramie and Cache la Poudre River Basins / C Boulder / Ne Gilpin / C Larimer forecast zone
Measured
83 kt (96 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.380, -105.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Rabbit Ears & Medicine Bow Ranges/Rocky Mountain National Park / W Larimer / Jackson Ecept C / N Grand / X Nw Boulder

When
December 16, 5:45 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Rabbit Ears & Medicine Bow Ranges/Rocky Mountain National Park / W Larimer / Jackson Ecept C / N Grand / X Nw Boulder forecast zone
Measured
82 kt (94 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.382, -105.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, South Park / S Park

When
December 16, 5:45 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
South Park / S Park forecast zone
Measured
78 kt (90 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
39.119, -105.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Front Range Foothills/Clear Creek Basin / W Jefferson / Ne Park / E Clear Creek / Se Gilpin / Sw Douglas

When
December 16, 5:45 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Southern Front Range Foothills/Clear Creek Basin / W Jefferson / Ne Park / E Clear Creek / Se Gilpin / Sw Douglas forecast zone
Measured
76 kt (87 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
39.516, -105.413 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Boulder County/Boulder and Vicinity / E Boulder / X Sw Weld

When
December 16, 5:45 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern Boulder County/Boulder and Vicinity / E Boulder / X Sw Weld forecast zone
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
39.878, -105.220 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Summit County/Mosquito Range/Indian Peaks / S Grand / Summit / W Clear Creek / W Gilpin / Sw Boulder / Nw Park

When
December 16, 5:45 AM MST to 11:00 PM MST
Where
Summit County/Mosquito Range/Indian Peaks / S Grand / Summit / W Clear Creek / W Gilpin / Sw Boulder / Nw Park forecast zone
Measured
78 kt (90 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
39.726, -105.675 (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 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2000

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: 5166135, 5166136, 5166137, 5166138, 5166139, 5166140.