with winds gusting to around 60 mph. There was little damage, but the winds continued to cause problems with wildfire starts and spreads.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 occurred across the I-25 corridor and southeast plains...with winds gusting to around 60 mph. There was little damage, but the winds continued to cause problems with wildfire starts and spreads.
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 9, 8:52 AM MST, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 952 AM MDT SAT APR 9 2011 .UPDATE... ...EXTREME FIRE DANGER TODAY... NO CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. IT WILL BE A VOLATILE DAY WITH REGARDS TO FIRE WEATHER POTENTIAL. ALL 12Z SHORT RANGE MODELS HAVE SUSTAINED SFC WINDS IN THE 25 TO 30 MPH RANGE OVER THE PLAINS. THIS IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE AS SIMULATION SFC WINDS ARE TYPICALLY WAY TOO WEAK. 700 MB WINDS OF 45 TO 50 KNTS WILL EASILY MIX DOWN TODAY. KTAD AND KRTN HAVE BROKEN OUT AND ARE GUSTING TO AROUND 40 KNTS. WE JUST BROKE OUT HERE IN PUEBLO AND ARE STARTING TO GUSTS INTO THE 20S. SPC UPGRADED THE AREA TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER EARLIER THIS MORNING AND THIS IS WARRANTED. I EXPECT ALL AREAS WILL BE IN RED FLAG CRITERIA BY LATER THIS MORNING WITH WINDS IN THE 25 TO 50 MPH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. PLEASE BE ALERT TO YOUR ENVIRONMENT TODAY. IF A FIRE STARTS IT WILL SPREAD VERY RAPIDLY. \/HODANISH && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 503 AM MDT SAT APR 9 2011/ SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ..SHORT TERM CONCERNS INCLUDE STRONG WINDS AND EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS EASTERN PLAINS ALONG WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THE CONTDVD... CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY CONTINUES TO INDICATE MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE REGION AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH AND COMPACT UPPER LOW ACROSS THE WEST COAST CONTINUES TO SLOWLY MOVE INTO THE THE GREAT BASIN. REGIONAL SATELLITE AND RADARS INDICATING CLOUD TOP COOLING AND DEVELOPING SHOWERS ACROSS WESTERN COLORADO ASSOCIATED WITH JET CORE ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE SYSTEM ACROSS CENTRAL ARIZONA ATTM. WARM AIR ALOFT AND LEE TROUGHING ACROSS THE I-25 CORRIDOR KEEPING TEMPS MILD WITH READINGS IN THE 40S AND 50S ACROSS THE PLAINS WITH MAINLY 30S AND 40S ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN ATTM. WITH THE SW FLOW ALOFT...DEW PTS HAVE REMAINED MAINLY IN THE TEENS ACROSS THE AREA WITH RHS RUNNING IN THE 20 TO 30 PERCENT RANGE ATTM...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS. TODAY AND TONIGHT...LATEST MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT OF TAKING THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH AND COMPACT LOW ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN THIS AFTERNOON WITH ASSOCIATED JET CORE TRANSLATING ACROSS THE NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO BORDER. BROAD UPPER TROUGH THEN LIFTS OUT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO OVERNIGHT WITH JET CORE LIFTING OUT ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. FLOW ALOFT CONTINUES TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WITH MODELS SOUNDINGS INDICATE STEEP LAPSE RATES PROMOTING GOOD MIXING TO AROUND H6. H7-H6 WINDS PROGGED BETWEEN 40 AND 50KTS...OWNING TO GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 MPH ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...STRONGEST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER. WILL NOT ISSUE ANY WIND HIGHLIGHTS ATTM AND WILL LET THE FORECAST SPEAK FOR ITSELF. TEMPS ALOFT COOL THROUGH AFTERNOON...THOUGH WILL STILL SEE HIGHS IN THE 60S TO LOWER 80S ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS. WITH CONTINUED DOWNSLOPE FLOW...SHOULD NOT SEE MUCH RECOVERY IN CURRENT DEW PTS...WHICH COMBINED WITH THE STRONG WINDS...WILL ALLOW FOR EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP WITH CURRENT RED FLAG WARNING REMAINING IN PLACE ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS. HAVE HOWEVER BUMPED UP THE TIMING WHICH IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM. SHOULD SEE SHOWERS INCREASING IN COVERAGE ACROSS THE CONTDVD THROUGH THE LATE MORNING...WITH SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS AND THE EASTERN SAWATCH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING AS UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES ACROSS THE STATE. EVENING SHIFT ISSUED WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THESE AREAS...WHICH STILL LOOKS ON TRACK WITH 5 TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY. WILL SEE SHOWERS SPREADING EAST ACROSS THE REST OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN OVERNIGHT...AND HAVE BUMPED UP POPS ACROSS THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MTS WITH LOCAL ACCUMS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES. ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS...THE MORE NORTHERN SHIFT IN THE TRACK OF THIS SYSTEM WILL KEEP THE PLAINS MAINLY DRY WITH GUSTY WEST WINDS ACROSS THE EASTERN MTS AND PLAINS AS AN ASSOCIATED STAND UP COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE STATE OVERNIGHT. HAVE BEGUN TO TRIM POPS ACROSS THE PLAINS...THOUGH WILL KEEP ISOLATED POPS IN FOR NOW. -MW LONG TERM... (SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ..PRECIPITATION MAINLY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE... SUNDAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO HAVE THE TROUGH PASS TO THE NORTH OF THE CWA. WINDS IN THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL GENERALLY BE FROM THE NORTHWEST...WHICH WILL LIMIT THE PRECIPITATION POTENTIAL FOR THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS. MAINTAINED SNOW ADVISORY FOR THE SAWATCH RANGE THROUGH NOON. LATEST MODEL RUNS SUGGEST THE HEAVIER SNOW MAY CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON AND POSSIBLY THE EVENING. IF THE MODEL TREND CONTINUES...DAY SHIFT MAY NEED TO EXTEND THE ADVISORY INTO THE AFTERNOON OR EVENING. GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS DURING THE DAY. HUMIDITIES WILL BE TOO HIGH FOR ANY FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS. SOME SHOWERS MAY ACCOMPANY THE TROUGH PASSAGE OVER THE PLAINS AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS...AND QPF WILL BE LIGHT. MONDAY AND TUESDAY...A SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE CWA WITH GENERALLY DRY AND MILD WEATHER. WINDS ALOFT WILL BE LIGHT. WITH A WEAK LEE TROUGH DEVELOPING...DO NOT ANTICIPATE WINDS BEING STRONG ENOUGH OR HUMIDITY BEING LOW ENOUGH FOR FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS. ON TUESDAY...THE NEXT TROUGH APPROACHES THE REGION. AS THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT INCREASES...WINDS WILL INCREASE OVER THE REGION. THERE ARE SOME FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS FOR TUESDAY...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT ALONG THE NEW MEXICO BORDER...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SOUTHERN INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR. WEDENSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD OVER THE PLAINS AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY. BY WEDNESDAY EVENING AND INTO THURSDAY...UPSLOPE MAY COMBINE WITH ANOTHER DISTURBANCE PASSING OVER THE ROCKIES TO BRING SOME PRECIPITATION TO THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND THE PLAINS. THESE TYPE OF EVENTS TEND TO HAVE THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION OVER THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS. EC HAS FOLLOWED TREND OF THE GFS TO HAVE THE TROUGH BE FURTHER NORTH AND MOVE FASTER. HAVE CONCERNS THAT SUBSEQUENT MODELS RUNS WILL CONTINUE TO TREND THE SYSTEM FURTHER NORTH REDUCING CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. BY FRIDAY...GFS...EC AND ENSEMBLE MEANS HAVE A SHORTWAVE RIDGE OVER THE REGION FOR GENERALLY DRY AND MILD WEATHER. --PGW-- AVIATION... MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT TAF SITES WITH ISOLATED MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AT ALS WITH AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING SHOWERS. WINDS WILL BE AN ISSUE AT ALL 3 TAF SITES WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 30 KTS GUSTING TO 45 KTS AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH TONIGHT. MTS ALONG AND WEST OF THE CONTDVD EXPECTED TO BE OBSCD IN SNOWFALL LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. -MW && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ221-222- 224>237. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ066-068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ060. && 34/34
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 655 AM MDT SAT APR 9 2011 COZ058>089-093>099-101300- 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 SAT APR 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VOLATILE CONDITIONS FOR FIRE SPREAD WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS TODAY AS A STRONG JET STREAM AHEAD OF A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM MOVING INTO WESTERN COLORADO THROUGH TONIGHT. VERY DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION WITH WINDS GUSTING UP TO 50 TO 60 MPH AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. COMBINED WITH THE DRY FUELS...THIS WILL LEAD TO CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH. RESIDENTS SHOULD POSTPONE ANY OUTDOOR BURNING AND USE EXTREME CAUTION NOT TO START ANY WILD FIRES TODAY...AS ANY FIRES WILL QUICKLY SPREAD OUT OF CONTROL. IF YOU FIND YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A FIRE...BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE QUICKLY. THE APPROACHING PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL SPREAD SNOW INTO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE REGION THIS AFTERNOON WHICH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY. AN ISOLATED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH LOCALLY INTENSE SNOWFALL RATES POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 9 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN AND LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FEET...AND ACROSS THE EASTERN SAWATCH RANGE ABOVE 11000 FEET...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES OF THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOWFALL...SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH AT TIMES WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...WITH ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 4 INCHES BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. ACCUMULATION SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AS ANOTHER PACIFIC STORM MOVES INTO COLORADO. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. 23/06
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2011
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: 303436, 303438, 303461, 303463, 303452, 303454, 303456, 303458, 303459, 303460, 303439, 303450.