Very strong gradient air flow, coupled with showers and fairly dry air in the lower layer of the atmosphere, combined to produced damaging microburst and macroburst winds across southeast Colorado. There was no lightning with nearly all the damaging winds.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
Very strong gradient air flow, coupled with showers and fairly dry air in the lower layer of the atmosphere, combined to produced damaging microburst and macroburst winds across southeast Colorado. There was no lightning with nearly all the damaging winds. Those storms that did have lightning, had severe thunderstorm warnings issued for them. A particularly damaging microburst started just south of La Junta, causing power failures, downed trees and limbs, and peeled off a section of a store roof. There were also power outages from Rocky Ford to Swink. A few semi-trailers were blown over in La Junta. At Cheraw, several outbuildings were damaged, and power poles were damaged as well. Through the rest of southeast Colorado, there was only minor damage to outbuildings.
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 Jun 15, 3:38 AM MST, 10 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 438 AM MDT THU JUN 15 2006 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ...FIRE WEATHER THREAT REMAINS HIGH FOR ONE MORE DAY... ...THUNDERSTORMS/POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER ON THE PLAINS LATER TODAY/THIS EVENING... RED FLAG WARNING WILL CONTINUE. ALTHOUGH A SURFACE COLD FRONT IS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RUN SOUTH INTO SOUTHERN COLORADO AT THIS TIME...IT WILL ONLY GET ABOUT AS FAR SOUTH AS PUEBLO COUNTY BRIEFLY THIS MORNING...BEFORE RETREATING RAPIDLY NORTH BY MID MORNING OR SO. THIS MEANS...THE HOT...GUSTY...SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL BE BACK...SPAWNING LOW HUMIDITIES AND A HIGH LEVEL OF FIRE DANGER. THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT WILL LIKELY BACK DOWN A LITTLE EARLIER OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA (ALONG AND NEAR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE)...AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES IN DURING THE AFTERNOON BRINGING CLOUDS...COOLER AIR AND HIGHER HUMIDITIES. HOWEVER...THE THREAT SHOULD HOLD ON MOST OF THE DAY OVER THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA (SAN LUIS/UPPER ARKANSAS VALLEYS AND EASTWARD). ANOTHER CONCERN IN THE FIRE WEATHER DEPARTMENT IS THE POTENTIAL FOR DRY LIGHTNING AGAIN TODAY. ANY HIGH BASED CONVECTION THAT MANAGES TO DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DRY LIGHTNING AS HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN LOW. TONIGHT...CLOUDS...HIGHER HUMIDITIES AND EVEN SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS SHOULD MOVE INTO MOST AREAS DURING THE EVENING...WITH THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT WINDING DOWN AFTER 9 PM AS CURRENTLY PROJECTED IN THE RED FLAG WARNING. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE EASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA (THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS)BY EARLY FRIDAY. THE OTHER CONSIDERATION FOR TODAY/TONIGHT...IS THE THUNDERSTORM AND SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL. SPC CURRENTLY HAS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS OUTLOOKED FOR A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS FOR THE PERIOD RUNNING FROM 12Z THIS MORNING THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY MORNING. THIS LOOKS GOOD BASED ON THE JET ENERGY ALOFT...THE HIGH WIND POTENTIAL ASSOCIATED WITH THE JET...AND THE DESTABLIZATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE TO TAKE PLACE LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING WITH THE INCOMING TROUGH. CAPES AND INSTABILITY ACTUALLY LOOK THE BEST THIS EVENING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES IN. THE AREA MOST PRIMED TO SEE SEVERE WEATHER WOULD APPEAR TO BE THE EASTERN BORDER AREAS...WHERE THERE WILL BE BETTER MOISTURE/SURFACE CONVERGENCE/ /BACKING WINDS AND 50-55KTS OF 0-6KM BULK SHEAR 00Z-03Z (6-9PM) THIS EVENING. THE MOST ACTIVE PERIOD OF SHOWERS/T-STORMS MIGHT ACTUALLY OCCUR TONIGHT AS OPPOSED TO THIS AFTERNOON...BASED ON WHAT THE MODELS ARE INDICATING. PRIMARY THREATS SHOULD BE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH...AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS. TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN BE HOT TODAY OVER THE EAST...PROBABLY NOT QUITE AS HOT AS YESTERDAY... AND MOSTLY BELOW RECORDS. OVER THE WEST...READINGS WILL PROBABLY BE A LITTLE COOLER THAN YESTERDAY...AS COOLER AIR AND CLOUDS ARRIVE WITH THE UPPER TROUGH. READINGS IN THESE AREAS MAY ACTUALLY END UP PRETTY CLOSE TO NORMAL FOR A CHANGE. LW .LONG TERM... (FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ...COOLER/MOISTER CONDITIONS EXPECTED ON FRIDAY THEN RETURN OF WARMER/DRIER CONDITIONS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK... MUCH NEEDED COOLER AND MORE MOIST CONDITIONS EXPECTED ON FRI BEHIND THE COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH LAYS UP ACROSS WRN KS...THE OK/TX PANHANDLES AND NRN NM. GFS AND NAM DIFFER WITH AMOUNT OF LOW LVL MOISTURE RETURN NORTH OF THE FRONT...WITH GFS MUCH MOISTER THAN NAM12. HOWEVER...06Z RUN OF NAM APPEARS TO HAVE INCREASED DEW POINTS A BIT...SO WILL GO WITH A 06Z NAM/GFS BLEND FOR NOW. MEANWHILE UPPER TROF SLOWLY EXITS CEN/ERN CO FRI/FRI NIGHT...WITH BEST SYNOPTIC LIFT ACROSS EASTERN CO. COOL AIR ALOFT WITH THE UPPER TROF IN CONCERT WITH SFC BASED HEATING SHOULD RESULT IN FAIRLY STEEP LAPSE RATES BY AFTN. WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 50S ACROSS THE EASTERN BORDER COUNTIES...CAPES WILL PROBABLY RANGE BETWEEN 1000-1500 J/KG. NAM12 MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW LITTLE TO NO CIN. WIND PROFILES IN MODEL HODOGRAPHS SUGGEST LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WOULD BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. STILL QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY HOW FAR WEST LOW LVL MOISTURE AXIS WILL BE POSITIONED...AND THUS HOW FAR WEST SVR WEA THREAT WILL EXIST. GOOD NEWS THOUGH IS THAT FIRE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD DIMINISH THANKS TO THE COOLER CONDITIONS...INCREASED RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...AND DECREASED WINDS. EVEN WESTERN AREAS SHOULD SEE A MARKED COOL DOWN BEHIND THE FRONT. AFTER FRIDAY...UPPER RIDGE OVER THE WRN US BUILDS AND SHIFTS EASTWARD BRINGING A RETURN OF WARMER TEMPERATURES...ESPECIALLY SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. NEXT UPPER TROF MOVES INTO THE GREAT BASIN AND ACROSS THE NRN US ROCKIES TUES/WED. THUS TUES COULD BE ANOTHER BREEZY DAY AHEAD OF THE TROF...THOUGH DOESNT APPEAR AS WINDY AS THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM. THEN ANOTHER FRONT IS SET TO BRING ANOTHER COOL DOWN FOR WEDNESDAY. LITTLE CHANGES MADE TO FCST GRIDS BEYOND DAY 5. -KT && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ220-COZ221-COZ222-COZ223-COZ224-COZ225-COZ226-COZ227- COZ228-COZ229-COZ230-COZ231-COZ232-COZ233-COZ234-COZ235-COZ236- COZ237. && 50/31
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 655 AM MDT THU JUN 15 2006 COZ058>089-093>099-161300- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 655 AM MDT THU JUN 15 2006 ...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 220 THROUGH 237...OR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL...AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO...FROM 9 AM UNTIL 9 PM TODAY...FOR WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES LESS THAN 15 PERCENT...ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS...AND HAINES VALUES OF 5 OR 6... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A COMBINATION OF HIGH WINDS...LOW HUMIDITIES...AND POSSIBLE DRY LIGHTNING...IN THE MIDST OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS...WILL CREATE A HIGH LEVEL OF FIRE WEATHER DANGER TODAY. AS A RESULT...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM UNTIL 9 PM. WINDS TODAY WILL BE SUSTAINED OVER 20 MPH IN MOST AREAS...WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH POSSIBLE. MINIMUM HUMIDITIES WILL FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS. IN ADDITION...AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MAY PRODUCE SOME DRY LIGHTNING ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON. ASIDE FROM THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT TODAY...THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE STORMS TODAY APPEARS TO BE ALONG THE EASTERN BORDER AREAS...WHERE THERE WILL BE BETTER MOISTURE AND SHEAR. THE MOST LIKELY WINDOW FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL RUN FROM 3 PM UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE WIND GUSTS OVER 70 MPH...HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS...AND LIGHTNING. OVER THE REMAINDER OF SOUTHERN COLORADO...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY...WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS BEING LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. ONE OR TWO STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL GREATER THAN 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH. THE LOCATION WITH THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS KIOWA...BENT...PROWERS...BACA... CROWLEY AND OTERO COUNTIES. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY NEXT WEEK...WITH LIGHTNING...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH THE PRIMARY THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS MEETING REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS BETWEEN 3 PM AND MIDNIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1052 AM MDT THU JUN 15 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG HOLLY 38.06N 102.12W
06/14/2006 PROWERS CO POST OFFICE
SEVERAL 6 INCH LIVE TREE LIMBS DOWNED
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 S HOLLY 38.04N 102.12W
06/14/2006 PROWERS CO PUBLIC
POWER POLE DOWNED
0357 PM TSTM WND GST HOLLY 38.06N 102.12W
06/14/2006 E70.00 MPH PROWERS CO PUBLIC
&&
TMAGNUSOThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, June 2006
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: 5518564, 5518566, 5518568, 5518565, 5518567, 5518570, 5518569.