Widespread high winds around 60 mph were recorded across the southeast plains of Colorado.
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.
Widespread high winds around 60 mph were recorded across the southeast plains of Colorado.
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 May 22, 8:15 AM MST, 5 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 915 AM MDT THU MAY 22 2008 .UPDATE... STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL COMBINE TO MOST LIKELY CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TOMORROW AS WELL...SO DECIDED TO ISSUE A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR THE EASTERN PLAINS. FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227 THROUGH 237...THE I25 CORRIDOR AND EAST...FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MOORE && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 423 AM MDT THU MAY 22 2008/ SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) WINDS AND FIRE WEATHER ARE THE MAIN SHORT TERM CONCERNS. UPR LOW WL MOVING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WARD THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HRS...MOVING FROM SRN UT THIS MORNING...INTO SRN CA BY FRI MORNING. AS SFC LOW DEEPENS THIS MORNING OVR SERN CO AND THEN MOVES A LITTLE NORTHWARD FOR THIS AFTERNOON...THE WINDS OVR SERN CO WL INCREASE...AND THE FAR SERN PLAINS ARE EXPECTED TO SEE SUSTAINED WINDS AROUND 40 MPH...WITH STRONGER GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH. THIS IS STRONG ENOUGH TO WARRANT A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THAT AREA...BEGINNING LATE THIS MORNING AND CONTINUING INTO THE EARLY EVENING. DEW POINTS THIS MORNING OVER THE SERN PLAINS RANGE FROM THE LOWER 30S AROUND KPUB AND KTAD...TO THE UPPER 50S AT KLAA. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE HYR DEW POINT AIR OVR THE FAR SERN PLAINS WL PUSH E THIS MORNING...AND BY MIDAFTERNOON DEW POINTS SHOULD BE IN THE MID 20S ALONG THE I-25 CORRIDOR TO LOWER 30S OVR THE FAR SERN PLAINS. TEMPS WL BE A LITTLE COOLER TODAY...AND THE WARMEST TEMPS WL BE FOUND OVR THE FAR SERN PLAINS. WE ALREADY HAVE A RED FLAG WARNING OUT FOR THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...BUT AT THIS TIME THE MINIMUM DEW POINTS LOOK MARGINAL FOR THIS AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...WITH THE VERY STRONG WINDS AND DRY FUELS I WOULD THINK THAT IF THERE ARE ANY FIRE STARTS IT COULD RAPIDLY SPREAD. ANOTHER CONCERN IS THE PCPN CHANCES ALONG AND NR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. TEMPS WL BE COOLER TODAY...AND BY LATER TONIGHT H7 TEMPS COOL TO A DEGREE OR TWO BELOW ZERO. PCPN CHANCES LOOK REAL GOOD TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY OVR THE SW MTS...AND WL INCREASE POPS. WL SEE SOME SNOW WITH SOME ACCUMULATIONS OVR THE HYR ELEVATIONS. AT THIS TIME WL JUST GO WITH UP TO 4 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION OVR ZONE 68 TONIGHT...BUT IF THE NAM IS CORRECT...ACCUMULATIONS COULD BE MORE SO WL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS THRU THE DAY. AS FOR ERN AREAS WL PROBABLY ISOLD TO MAYBE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. NAM SHOWS LITTLE CAPE OVR THE AREA TODAY...BUT COULD SEE AROUND 1000 J/KG OVR THE PALMER DVD...WITH LAPSE RATES OF 7-9 C/KM THIS AFTERNOON. CHANCES FOR SEVERE STORMS SHOULD BE TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF OUR AREA. LONG TERM... (FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) LONG TERM CONCERNS REMAIN EFFECTS OF LARGE UPPER LOW SPINNING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN REGION. FRIDAY-FRIDAY NIGHT...LARGE UPPER LOW PROGGED TO REMAIN ACROSS SOUTHERN NEVADA AS A STRONG 120+KT JET CORE ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE SYSTEM AND CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS WESTERN COLORADO...OWNING TO STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE STATE. MOVEMENT OF SYSTEM BRINGS GOOD LIFT AND MOISTURE ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE...WITH MUCH OF SOUTHEAST COLORADO DRY SLOTTED. WITH THAT SAID HAVE INCREASED POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MTS...WITH BEST POPS AND OROGRAPHICS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MTS...AND WITH H7 TEMPS BETWEEN 0C AND -2C...SHOULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF NEW SNOWFALL AT OR ABOVE 10K FEET ON FRIDAY. HAVE KEPT MAINLY ISOLATED POPS ACROSS THE REST OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND HIGH MT VALLEYS WITH MODELS CONTINUING TO INDICATE DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS WITH DRY LINE PUSHING INTO WESTERN KANSAS ONCE AGAIN...THOUGH WILL KEEP ISOLATED POPS ACROSS THE FAR SE PLAINS FOR CONTINUITY. LATEST MODELS ARE MORE SOUTHERLY WITH THE WINDS AND KEEP A TAD MORE MOISTURE ACROSS THE PLAINS...AND DESPITE THE STRONG WINDS...RH MAY NOT GET BELOW 15 PERCENT FOR RED FLAG CRITERIA...AND WILL NOT ISSUE A FIRE WEATHER WATCH ATTM. SATURDAY-SUNDAY...MAIN PIECE OF UPPER LOW PROGGED TO RETROGRADE ACROSS THE WEST COAST WITH MODERATING AND DRIER SOUTHWEST FLOW PROGGED ACROSS THE REGION. DEEP MIXING ACROSS THE AREA STILL LOOKS TO BRING BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS AND CONTINUED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ACROSS THE PLAINS...THOUGH MAY SEE DRY LINE PUSH WESTWARD INTO EASTERN COLORADO AND HAVE KEPT SCATTERED TO ISOLATED POPS AREAWIDE...WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING THROUGH THE PERIOD. MONDAY-WEDNESDAY...NO CHANGES TO PREVIOUS FORECAST AS MODELS CONTINUING TO INDICATE A FRONTAL SURGE MOVING ACROSS THE PLAINS LATE MONDAY...OWNING TO BETTER CHANCES OF PRECIP WITH INCREASED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE PLAINS. -MW AVIATION...STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WL BE A CONCERN OVR MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY. ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DVD PCPN AND CLOUDS WL OBSCURE THE TERRAIN AT TIMES TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE WL ALSO BE SOME ISOLD THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WL HAVE VFR CONDITIONS. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ222-227>237. FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR COZ227>237. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ093>099. && 21/27
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1118 AM MDT THU MAY 22 2008 COZ058>089-093>099-231300- 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- 1118 AM MDT THU MAY 22 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WINDY TO VERY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL BE FOUND ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA TODAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE OVER THE FAR SOUTHEAST PLAINS WHERE WINDS WILL BE 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH. THESE WINDY CONDITIONS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS TO CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR ACROSS SOUTHEAST COLORADO TODAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND THIS EVENING. ONE OR TWO THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SEVERE IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST COLORADO NEAR THE COLORADO KANSAS BORDER THROUGH PORTIONS OF THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL INCLUDES...BUT NOT LIMITED TO...SHERIDAN LAKE...TOWNER...HOLLY...BARTLETT...AND WALSH. THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE WIND GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH...HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE...A TORNADO...AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. THE MAIN THUNDERSTORM THREAT ACROSS THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR AND MOUNTAINS WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCAL WIND GUSTS UP 50 MPH. AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...THERE WILL BE SOME SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TODAY AND TONIGHT. A COUPLE INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY...WITH ONE TO FOUR INCHES POSSIBLE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO AGAIN ON FRIDAY. WIND SPEEDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. THE WINDS...COMBINED WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS...MAY LEAD TO CRITICAL CONDITIONS FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST COLORADO ON FRIDAY AND POSSIBLY AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...WITH SHOWERS CONTINUING OVERNIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. SOME LIGHT SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ABOVE 10000 FEET DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WHERE SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A DRY LINE IS EXPECTED TO SET UP ACROSS THE PLAINS...WHICH WILL WAVER IN AND OUT OF EASTERN COLORADO FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...ALONG AND EAST OF THE DRY LINE NEAR THE COLORADO AND KANSAS BORDER. COOLER TEMPERATURES...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE...ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WILL HELP TO DECREASE THE SNOW MELT OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. THIS WILL CAUSE WATER LEVELS IN THE AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS TO LEVEL OFF SOME. HOWEVER WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN FOR SUNDAY THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK...WHICH WILL CAUSE STREAM FLOWS TO INCREASE ONCE MORE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS MEETING REPORTING CRITERIA WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE AREA...AND WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
200 PM MDT THU MAY 22 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0152 PM NON-TSTM WND GST LAMAR 38.08N 102.62W
05/22/2008 M58.00 MPH PROWERS CO ASOS
&&
DMETZEThe 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 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, May 2008
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: 102277, 103180, 103181, 103182, 103183, 103184, 103185.