High winds buffeted the majority of south-central and southeast Colorado during the early morning to early afternoon hours of the 18th. Almost all wind speeds were below high wind criteria.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
High winds buffeted the majority of south-central and southeast Colorado during the early morning to early afternoon hours of the 18th. Almost all wind speeds were below high wind criteria. A Red Flag Warning was in effect for most of the area. Some of the higher wind gusts included the following...58 mph at Lamar in Prowers county...59 mph near Colorado City in Pueblo county...60 mph in Chaffee county in the upper Arkansas River Valley 8 miles east-northeast of Nathrop...61 mph at both Cuchara in Huerfano county and La Junta in Otero county...64 mph at Monarch Pass in Chaffee county...66 mph 11 miles south-southeast of Westcliffe in Custer county...and a 68 mph gust at Wolf Creek Pass in Mineral county.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 17, 1:25 PM MST, 12 hours 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 225 PM MDT SAT APR 17 2004 .SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND SUNDAY) ...WIND AND ASSOCIATED FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS THE CONCERNS... CURRENTLY...WIND GUSTS IN THE 25 TO 40 KNOT RANGE OVER MOST OF THE AREA AS UPPER TROUGH DIGS INTO THE WRN U.S. AND UPPER JET MIGRATES EASTWARD. RH VALUES MAINLY IN THE TEENS...WITH A SLIGHT INCREASE IN DEWPOINTS AND RH OVER THE FAR SOUTH AS DEEPER MOISTURE OVER NEW MEXICO ADVECTS NORTHWARD. TNGT...SHOULD SEE WINDS BACK OFF SOME AFTER SUNSET AS DEEP MIXING ENDS...THOUGH MANY LOCATIONS WILL STAY BREEZY AT TIMES THROUGH THE NIGHT. MODELS SUGGEST ENOUGH MOISTURE WILL CREEP NORTHWARD TO AID IN PRECIP OVER THE MOUNTAINS...AND WITH A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES TO THE WEST OVER UT AND SOUTH OVER NM...WILL CONTINUE WITH A MENTION OF AT LEAST ISOLATED -TSRA THROUGH THE NIGHT. MIN TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY MILD...SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT. SUNDAY...WINDS WILL REALLY GET CRANKED UP WITH UPPER JET DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AND S/W TROUGH MOVING BY TO THE NORTH. ANY LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LINGERING ON THE PLAINS WILL GET QUICKLY SHUNTED EASTWARD AS STRONG DOWNWARD MOTION TRANSPORTS A FAIRLY DEEP LAYER OF DRY AIR TO THE SURFACE OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS. WILL HOIST ANOTHER FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR SUNDAY...WITH WINDS BEGINNING A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE DAY THAN THIS MORNING. EXPECT RH OVER THE PLAINS TO DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS BY MID AFTERNOON. STILL THE THREAT FOR SOME HIGH BASED CONVECTION OVER THE MTS...SO WILL CONTINUE THE CURRENT LOW POPS. OVERALL...CURRENT GRIDS IN FINE SHAPE WITH JUST A SLIGHT UPWARD NUDGE IN WIND GUSTS OVER THE PLAINS NEEDED. --PETERSEN .LONG TERM... (SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY) MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE THE AFFECTS OF MINOR DISTURBANCES IN WESTERLY FLOW THROUGH TUE...WITH PRECIP CHANCES WED-FRI AS STRONGER SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. SUN NIGHT-TUE...SHORT WAVE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED STRONG JET ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY CONTINUES TO LIFT OUT INTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT PERSISTING AS ANOTHER PAC NW SHORT WAVE MOVES ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN SUN NIGHT AND INTO WESTERN COLORADO AROUND 18Z MON. WEAK BACKDOOR COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS SUN NIGHT BEHIND PARTING SYSTEM... WITH ENHANCED BRISK SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST FLOW RETURN FLOW ACROSS THE PLAINS MONDAY AS LEE TROUGH DEEPENS ACROSS THE I-25 CORRIDOR. MODELS INDICATING SLIGHT INCREASE IN MID LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY...ALONG WITH INCREASING LAPSE RATES AHEAD OF SYSTEM...AND KEPT ISOLATED POPS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SW MTS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND HAVE ALSO ADDED ISOLATED LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING POPS FOR THE EASTERN MTS AS WELL. LOWER ELEVATIONS REMAIN RATHER DRY...EXCEPT FOR THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS...WITH POSSIBLE DRYLINE DEVELOPING...BUT WILL KEEP FORECAST GRIDS DRY FOR NOW. MODELS INDICATING SOME DRYING AND SUBSIDENCE ALOFT LATE MONDAY AND TUE... THOUGH WITH POSSIBLE EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES IN THE WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT...AND WILL KEEP ISOLATED MT POPS TUE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WED-THU...MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW INCONSISTENCIES THROUGH THIS PERIOD ON TIMING AND STRENGTH OF PAC NW SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN WED AND ACROSS THE AREA THU. 12Z GFS SLOWER AND STRONGER THAN PREVIOUS RUNS AND OTHER MODELS AS IT DROPS A CLOSED UPPER LOW ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS 00Z THU AND CONTINUES ACROSS THE STATE THU... ALLOWING FOR A DEEP AND MOIST UPSLOPE FLOW TO DEVELOP ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO. WITH MODEL INCONSISTENCIES...WILL NOT JUMP HARD AT THIS SOLUTION YET...BUT WILL BUMP POPS TO CHANCES AND LOWER TEMPS ACROSS THE AREA...WHICH MATCHES WELL WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES. FRI-SAT...UPPER SYSTEM CONTINUES INTO THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS FRI ...WITH POSSIBLE WRAP AROUND PRECIP IN COOL NORTH TO NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. DRY WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES SAT...WITH TEMPS WARMING BACK TO AROUND SEASONAL AVERAGES. -MW && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9PM SAT FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 226 TO 237.(EASTERN PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR FIRE ZONES). FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM SUNDAY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 226 TO 237.(EASTERN PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR FIRE ZONES). &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 700 AM MDT SAT APR 17 2004 COZ058>089-093>099-181300- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT-CROWLEY COUNTY- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET-WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- 700 AM MDT SAT APR 17 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SURFACE WINDS ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO TODAY. WIND SPEEDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WILL BE COMMON ACROSS THE AREA...WITH POTENTIAL WIND GUSTS AROUND 40 MPH... ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO AND THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. FORECAST CONDITIONS ARE IN PLACE FOR ERRATIC AND EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR ACROSS SOUTHEAST COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...IF FIRES ARE STARTED. FOR TONIGHT...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FROM THE WEST SOUTHWEST AT 15 TO 35 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 40 MPH... ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MOUNTAIN PASSES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE LIFTS TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE. ANOTHER DISTURBANCE IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE STATE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON...THEN TO ALL OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND TO AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 25 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. METZE/MOORE
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2004
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: 5391271, 5391272, 5391179, 5391183, 5391181, 5391182, 5391180, 5391178.