eventually burned around 6100 acres in south central Las Animas County. The wildfire was not contained until June.
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 PUB wrote it up.
The Purgatoire Fire...east of Trinidad...eventually burned around 6100 acres in south central Las Animas County. The wildfire was not contained until June.
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 29, 7:57 PM MST, 4 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 857 PM MDT SUN MAY 29 2011 .UPDATE... UPDATE FOR EXPIRATION OF THE RED FLAG WARNING. REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST GRID PACKAGE LOOKS GOOD...WITH ANOTHER HOT AND DRY DAY ON TAP FOR THE E PLAINS TOMORROW. MOORE && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 354 PM MDT SUN MAY 29 2011/ SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT AND MONDAY) ..HIGH FIRE DANGER CONTINUES WITH WIDESPREAD STRONG WINDS ACROSS SOUTHERN COLORADO TOMORROW... RED FLAG CONDITIONS BEING MET ACROSS THE SAN LUIS VALLEY AND ALL OF THE PLAINS EXCEPT FOR EL PASO COUNTY WHERE FUELS ARE NOT CRITICAL. HAVE HAD GUSTS HITTING NEAR 50 MPH AT TIMES IN MANY PLACES WITH HUMIDITIES 5 TO 15 PERCENT. KIOWA COUNTY...WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY NOT IN THE RED FLAG WARNING...IS NOW IN THE WARNING...AS CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NOW BEING MET THERE TOO. TOMORROW...A VIGOROUS PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL PASS BY JUST TO OUR NORTH...RESULTING IN ANOTHER DAY OF RED FLAG CONDITIONS OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN COLORADO...MINUS THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...WHERE HIGHER HUMIDITIES SHOULD PRECLUDE THE NEED FOR A WARNING. FOR THE PLAINS...HUMIDITIES MAY BE A BIT HIGHER THAN TODAY DUE TO COOLER AIR FILTERING IN...BUT WINDS WILL BE STRONGER THAN TODAY... SO PROBABLY JUST AS MUCH DANGER AS TODAY IF NOT MORE. ANOTHER BIG IMPACT FROM THE PASSING STORM SYSTEM TOMORROW WILL BE THE WIND. MOST AREAS CAN EXPECT A VERY WINDY DAY...WITH SUSTAINED WIND SPEED VALUES RANGING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH MOST OF THE DAY. WIND GUSTS COULD HIT AROUND 70 MPH AT TIMES IN THE MOUNTAINS...AND AROUND 55 MPH AT TIMES ACROSS THE PLAINS AS AN UPPER LEVEL JETSTREAM TRACKS OVER THE REGION. PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO SECURE LOOSE OUTDOOR PROPERTY. IF MODEL RUNS COME IN A BIT STRONGER ON THE WINDS THIS EVENING...A HIGH WIND WARNING MAY NEED TO BE ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA. THE INCOMING PACIFIC SHORTWAVE LOOKS LIKE IT WILL PASS BY TOO FAR TO THE NORTH TO PRODUCE ANY KIND OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO. THERE COULD BE SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE LATER TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW...BUT COVERAGE IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE VERY WIDESPREAD. ANY SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE LOCALIZED...LESS THAN 2 INCHES...AND CONFINED MAINLY TO LOCATIONS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO MAKE IT EAST OF THE DIVIDE. LW LONG TERM... (MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ..SUMMER LIKE WEATHER THIS WEEK... DRY AND WARM WEATHER IS EXPECTED THIS WEEK...AS HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SE PORTION OF THE NATION BUILDS WWD INTO TX...AND SW WINDS SPREAD OVR THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. SOME MID LEVEL MOISTURE WILL WORK ITS WAY NWD ALONG THE W PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE...BUT NO WIDESPREAD PRECIP IS EXPECTED. ONE MORE SEASONABLE DAY ON TUE...AS A WEAK RIDGE MOVES THRU THE AREA. VERY DRY AIR CONTINUES TO ADVECT NWD DURING THE DAY...AND POPS WILL BE NIL WITH CLOUD COVERAGE VIRTUALLY NIL AS WELL. A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL PUSH NWD OVER THE OK-TX PANHANDLES TUE EVE...BUT WILL BE TOO FAR TO THE SOUTH TO AFFECT OUR AREA. HAVE LEFT SOME VERY LOW POPS OVER EXTREME SE BACA COUNTY FOR NOW...BUT THIS MAY HAVE TO BE PULLED IF MODEL TRENDS CONTINUE ON COURSE. WEAK MOIST AXIS CONTINUES TO TRANSLATE W AND NWD ON WED...LEADING TO A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE OF SOME AFTERNOON SHWRS AND STORMS...PARTICULARLY OVR THE MTNS. COULD EVEN SEE A HIGH BASED STRONG STORM OR TWO OVR THE SERN ZONES WED AFTERNOON-EVE. HOWEVER...VERY WARM WX IS EXPECTED AS SW FLOW STRENGTHENS TO THE E OF A TROUGH DEVELOPING OVR THE W COAST. WED AND THU SHOULD BE THE WARMEST DAYS...WITH MID 90S POSSIBLE OVR THE PLAINS. FORTUNATELY...SURFACE WINDS SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT ENOUGH TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT FIRE WX THREAT. WARM OVR THE MTNS AS WELL..WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW-PACK MELTING EXPECTED THRU THE WEEK. THIS WILL LEAD TO INCREASED FLOWS FOR THE MTNS STREAMS AND RIVERS...AS MENTIONED IN CURRENT HYDROLOGIC STATEMENTS. A WEAK FRONTAL PASSAGE SHOULD OCCUR LATE IN THE WEEK...MOST LIKELY FRI...AS A SHORT WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE JET OVR THE NRN PLAINS AND S CANADA. THIS SHOULD LEAD TO MORE SEASONABLE TEMPS FOR THE END OF THE WEEK AND WEEKEND...WITH A SLIGHTLY BETTER SHOT AT SOME SHOWER ACTIVITY OVR THE WEEKEND AS BETTER MOISTURE MOVES NWD AHEAD OF THE DEEPENING LOW TO THE W. 44 AVIATION... VFR EXCEPT FOR SPOTTY SHOWERS POSSIBLE ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY...WHERE LOCAL MVFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SNOW SHOWERS. VERY STRONG WINDS NEXT 24 HOURS...GENERALLY FROM THE SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH FOR THIS EVENING. VERY WINDY MONDAY WITH WINDS GENERALLY SOUTHWEST TO WEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS 50-70 MPH. LW && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MDT MONDAY FOR COZ228>237. && 27/31
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 857 PM MDT SUN MAY 29 2011 COZ058>089-093>099-310300- 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- 857 PM MDT SUN MAY 29 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT WITH GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE TOWARDS MORNING ACROSS THE HIGHER PEAKS...AND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH IN LOCAL WIND PRONE AREAS ALONG THE LOWER EASTERN SLOPES. ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE HIGHER PEAKS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE OVERNIGHT BRINGING LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO AN INCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS ON MONDAY...WHERE SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 55 MPH AT TIMES. THESE STRONG WINDS...COMBINED WITH THE DRY VEGETATION WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR FIRE SPREAD. EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID FIRE STARTS. IF COOKING OUTDOORS THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND...BE SURE TO PROPERLY CONTROL AND EXTINGUISH OPEN FLAMES AND EMBERS. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 60 TO 70 MPH ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN AREAS ON MONDAY...WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH POSSIBLE ACROSS THE VALLEYS. THESE WINDS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS CROSS WINDS FOR NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADWAYS...AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING DUST...ESPECIALLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. ALTHOUGH HUMIDITY VALUES WILL NOT BE AS CRITICALLY DRY AS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...RAPID RATES OF FIRE SPREAD WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE WHERE VEGETATION IS DRY. ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS ON MONDAY...AND OVER ALL OF SOUTHERN COLORADO WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. PRIMARY STORM THREATS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING. RECENT WARM TEMPERATURES ARE MELTING THE SNOWPACK IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS. WARM TEMPERATURES WILL ACCELERATE THIS PROCESS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. CONSEQUENTLY...HIGH STREAM FLOWS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG MANY COLORADO RIVERS AND STREAMS. IN SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL COLORADO...THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF SALIDA SAW WELL ABOVE AVERAGE SNOWPACK THIS YEAR. CONSEQUENTLY...THE ARKANSAS RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARY STREAMS NORTH OF SALIDA CAN EXPECT TO SEE HIGH STREAM FLOWS AS THE SNOWPACK MELTS IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS. CAUTION SHOULD BE USED WHEN VENTURING IN OR NEAR FAST FLOWING MOUNTAIN STREAMS DURING THE SNOWMELT RUNOFF SEASON. COLD...FAST FLOWING SNOWMELT WATER CAN POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO THE UNSUSPECTING OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS WILL NOT BE NEEDED TONIGHT. 27/31
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. 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, May 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: 316723.