Strong winds developed in the foothills north of Interstate 70. Peak wind reports included: 89 mph at Pinewood Lake, 83 mph, 6 miles northwest of Aspen Springs; and 80 mph near Jamestown.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 BOU wrote it up.
Strong winds developed in the foothills north of Interstate 70. Peak wind reports included: 89 mph at Pinewood Lake, 83 mph, 6 miles northwest of Aspen Springs; and 80 mph near Jamestown.
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 Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 12, 3:15 PM MST, 8 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
315 PM MST WED NOV 12 2008
.SHORT TERM...STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW ALOFT OVER THE STATE WILL
TRANSITION TO NORTHWESTERLY OVERNIGHT...INTENSIFYING A SURFACE LEE
TROUGH OVER THE NORTHERN URBAN CORRIDOR. LOWER AND MID LEVEL
MOISTURE WILL BE INCREASING OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OVERNIGHT
WITH INCREASING CHANCES OF SNOW. HOWEVER...A STABLE LAYER AT
MID-LEVELS IS GOING TO LIMIT VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWER
ACTIVITY. THE STABLE LAYER WILL ALSO BE IMPORTANT IN PRODUCING
CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR STRONG WINDS IN THE LEE OF THE FOOTHILLS
LATER TONIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND STRONG WINDS DEVELOPING
OVERNIGHT WILL WARRANT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ZONES 31..33
AND 34 AND THE STRONG DOWNSLOPING WINDS IN THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS
WILL REQUIRE A HIGH WIND WARNING IN ZONE 35. THE MAIN JET CORE WITH
THIS SYSTEM WILL BE REMAINING NORTH OF COLORADO...LIMITING THE
SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THE HIGH WINDS. SNOW AMOUNTS IN THE MOUNTAINS
WILL ONLY BE FROM 3 TO 7 INCHES THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...BUT THE
HIGH WINDS WILL PRODUCE POOR VISIBILITIES AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILL
VALUES...ATYPICAL OF A PURE SNOW EVENT. THE CORE OF THE UPPER JET
WILL REACH 150 KNOTS OVER WYOMING...INDICATING PLENTY OF ENERGY TO
DRIVE THE WINDS OVER THE COLORADO HIGH COUNTRY. THE BEST TIME FOR
THE STRONG WINDS OVER THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS LOOKS TO BE AROUND 12Z
THURSDAY MORNING. GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINE THURSDAY MORNING AND
SPREAD ONTO THE PLAINS...MAINLY ACROSS NORTHERN WELD COUNTY.
CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REST OF THE PLAINS SHOULD BE DRY AND MILD
THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
.LONG TERM...STRONG WINDS AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE IN THE MOUNTAINS
TOMORROW NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING AS STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET
PLOWS ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO. SNOWFALL RATES SHOULD ALSO IMPROVE
AS LAPSE RATES BECOME MORE UNSTABLE AND CLOSER TO MOIST ADIABATIC.
HOWEVER...THE MOISTURE DEPTH IS QUITE LIMITED WITH THE TOP OF THE
GOOD MOIST LAYER AROUND 650 MB AND Q-G VERTICAL MOTION FIELDS SHOW
MODERATE DOWNWARD MOTION. AS A RESULT...HARD TO ARGUE WITH SNOW
MODEL OUTPUT SHOWING JUST 3-6 INCHES DURING THE FAVORED 12 HOUR
PERIOD FROM ABOUT 03Z-15Z FRIDAY. THESE AMOUNTS DO NOT WARRANT A
WINTER STORM WARNING BUT THE WIND WILL BE HOWLING AND PRODUCING
CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. AT THIS TIME...WILL KEEP
THE WINTER STORM WATCH GOING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY
CONSIDERING THERE IS ALREADY AN ADVISORY IN FRONT OF THIS BEGINNING
TONIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY MORNING.
ON THE PLAINS...WE WILL HAVE TO CONTEND WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT
DROPPING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY EVENING. THERE IS A
DECENT THREAT OF SHALLOW ANTICYCLONIC UPSLOPE DEVELOPING NEAR THE
FRONT RANGE WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE CHEYENNE RIDGE. IN
ADDITION...STRONG JET MAX ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO WILL ALSO PUT
THE PLAINS IN A FAVORABLE POSITION FOR BANDED PRECIP COURTESY OF
CONDITIONAL SYMMETRIC INSTABILITY. AGAIN...THE MOISTURE IS NOT
GREAT BUT CAN NOT RULE OUT A BAND OR TWO OF 1-3 INCH SNOWFALL. THE
BAND OF MOISTURE SHOULD GRADUALLY SHIFT BACK SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS
THE PLAINS AS THE JET DROPS IN...SO WILL HAVE THE BEST POPS SHIFTING
FROM THE NORTHEAST CORNER TOMORROW EVENING BACK TOWARD THE FRONT
RANGE AND PALMER DIVIDE BY FRIDAY MORNING.
BY LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SUBSIDENCE AND DRYING WILL BE
STRONG ENOUGH TO BRING AN END TO THE SNOW AND ALSO GRADUAL CLEARING.
GENERALLY MILD AND DRY WEATHER WILL THEN PREVAIL THROUGH THE WEEKEND
INTO THE MID PART OF NEXT WEEK AS FLAT UPPER LEVEL RIDGING IN
NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT DEVELOPS. THIS WILL STILL LEAVE NORTHEAST
COLORADO OPEN TO BACKDOOR COLD FRONTS...WITH PERHAPS MONDAY SHOWING
THE BEST ODDS FOR SUCH OCCURRENCE SO HAVE KEPT TEMPS A FEW DEGREES
COOLER THEN.
&&
.AVIATION...VFR CIGS AND VSBYS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY.
STRONG NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL CAUSE STRONG WINDS IN THE
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS WHICH MAY SPREAD ONTO THE ADJACENT PLAINS. THE
STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD REMAIN WEST OF I-25. HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE
WILL BE MOVING OVERHEAD...BUT DOWNSLOPING WINDS WILL KEEP CONDITIONS
DRY AND STABLE.
&&
.BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT UNTIL 5 PM THURSDAY...ZONE 35.
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS TONIGHT
UNTIL 5 PM MST THURSDAY...ZONES 31..33 AND 34...
...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS 5 PM MST
THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...ZONES 31..33 AND 34.
DANKERS/BARJENBRUCHHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1111 AM MST WED NOV 12 2008 COZ030>051-131300- JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-WEST JACKSON AND WEST GRAND COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET-GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-SOUTH AND EAST JACKSON/LARIMER/NORTH AND NORTHEAST GRAND/ NORTHWEST BOULDER COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET-SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST GRAND/WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST BOULDER/GILPIN/CLEAR CREEK/ SUMMIT/NORTH AND WEST PARK COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET-LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARK COUNTY-LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/ EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 1111 AM MST WED NOV 12 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO. ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT UNTIL LATE THURSDAY MORNING...AND THEN A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE MOUNTAINS LATE THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING... ...HIGH WIND WATCH NORTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRENGTHENING NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND INCREASING MOISTURE WILL BRING AN INCREASE OF SNOWFALL IN THE MOUNTAINS ALONG AND WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ALONG WITH THE SNOW...WINDS WILL BE GUSTY OVER THE HIGHER PEAKS AND ALONG THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS CAUSING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. WIND GUSTS TO 75 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT IN THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS. WEATHER ON THE PLAINS WILL BE MILD. OCCASIONAL GUSTY WINDS MAY OCCUR AT TIMES NEAR THE FOOTHILLS WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SNOW AND WIND WILL INCREASE FURTHER IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN COLORADO THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS A STRONG JET STREAM APPROACHES THE STATE FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. SNOWFALL MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES THURSDAY NIGHT FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT...WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF NEW SNOW ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE BY LATE FRIDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE INCREASING TO 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 75 MPH ABOVE TIMBERLINE...PRODUCING CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND THE POTENTIAL FOR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES AND IN EXPOSED AREAS. PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL INTO THE MOUNTAINS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL ALSO REMAIN STRONG AND GUSTY IN THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS...WITH GUSTS UP TO 80 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE WIND PRONE AREAS OF BOULDER AND LARIMER COUNTIES. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF LATE FRIDAY MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON AND DRIER AND MORE STABLE AIR MOVES INTO THE STATE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. DANKERS/BARJENBRUCH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 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, November 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: 137945.