High winds impacted southeast Colorado, causing a tractor-trailer to be blown off of US Highway 50 in Prowers County. Campo (Baca County) and Lamar (Prowers County), and a 76 mph wind gust south of Colorado City (Huerfano County).
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 impacted southeast Colorado, causing a tractor-trailer to be blown off of US Highway 50 in Prowers County. Some of the higher recorded wind gusts include 58 mph near Springfield (Baca County)...60 mph near Swink and La Junta (Otero County)...62 mph near the Air Force Academy (El Paso County)...65 mph west of Walsenburg (Huerfano County)...around 70 mph near Trinidad (Las Animas County)...Campo (Baca County) and Lamar (Prowers County), and a 76 mph wind gust south of Colorado City (Huerfano County).
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 Nov 5, 9:32 AM MST, 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1032 AM MDT SAT NOV 5 2011 .UPDATE... ADDED SOME SLIGHT POPS TO THE I-25 CORRIDOR FOR EARLY AFTERNOON WITH FROPA AS HRRR SHOWING SOME SHOWERS COMING OVER THE MTNS. AS FOR THE WSW IN THE MTNS...EXTENDED THE HILITE FOR THE C MTNS UNTIL MIDNIGHT...WHILE I ENDED THE HILITE A BIT EARLY FOR THE SAN JUANS. I NOW HAVE IT ENDING AT 6 PM. SIMULATIONS SHOWING FLOW GOING WESTERLY OVER THE SAN JUANS LATER TODAY AND THIS SHOULD SHUT THINGS DOWN ACROSS THIS REGION. C MTNS WILL CONTINUE A BIT LATER WITH LAGGING SHORT WAVE COMING ACROSS AND FAVORABLE WNW FLOW. BEST CHANCE OF HIGH WINDS TODAY WILL BE GENERALLY E OF A LINE FROM CALHAN...BULLSEYE AIRPORT...FAR E PUEBLO COUNTY AND THEN DOWN TOWARDS COLORADO CITY. KTAD PEAKED AT 48KTS AN HOUR AGO. THINGS STILL LOOK INTERESTING FOR TUESDAY...DETAILS AT THE 3 PM ISSUANCE. \/HODANISH && .AVIATION... WINDS SHOULD PICK UP AT KCOS AND KPUB AROUND THE 18Z TIME FRAME AND WILL BE GUSTY FROM THE WEST-SOUTHWEST AT 30 TO 40 KNOTS. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY GO AROUND TO WEST BY LATE IN THE DAY. STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH FROPA EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON. EXPECT VFR AT KCOS AND KPUB NEXT 24H TIME PD. KALS WILL HAVE SNOW SHOWERS FOR THE EARLY AFTERNOON TIME PD AND WILL GRADUALLY CLEAR OUT WITH WINDS DECREASING. COULD SEE SOME BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 448 AM MDT SAT NOV 5 2011/ SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ..SNOW AND WIND COMING TO THE REGION... CURRENTLY...SNOW HAD BEEN SLOW TO DEVELOP IN THE EASTERN SAN JUANS AS SUGGESTED IN THE PREVIOUS AFD. KGJX RADAR SHOWS PLENTY OF ECHOES JUST WEST OF KTEX ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPING LEAF CLOUD. LIGHTNING HAS BEEN OBSERVED OVER EAST CENTRAL ARIZONA ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN PV LOBE. GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE DEVELOPING OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA WITH GUSTS INTO THE MID 20S AT KTAD AND KSPD. TODAY...EXPECT SNOW TO BEGIN SHORTLY OVER THE EASTERN SAN JUANS AS IR SHOWS COOLING OF CLOUD TOPS OVER THE SAN JUANS NORTH OF KPSO. ONCE SNOW DEVELOPS OVER THE EASTERN SAN JUANS..IT SHOULD START SNOWING HARD FAIRLY QUICKLY. LIGHTNING STRIKES OVER ARIZONA SHOWS THAT ATMOSPHERE WILL BE UNSTABLE. LATEST NAM CONTINUES TO SHOW AROUND 12 TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW WITH AN INCH OF LIQUID...WHICH MATCHES THE CURRENT FORECAST. SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATER OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF LAKE AND CHAFFEE COUNTIES. SOUTHWEST FLOW IS NOT A FAVORABLE DIRECTION FOR THESE RANGES. AS THE TROUGH PASSES...FLOW WILL GO WESTERLY WHICH WILL INTENSIFY THE SNOW DURING THE AFTERNOON. WITH ATMOSPHERE DRYING FAIRLY QUICKLY BEHIND THE TROUGH...CURRENT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY LOOKS GOOD. AS TROUGH MOVES ACROSS EASTERN MOUNTAINS...THERE COULD BE A SNOW SHOWERS WITH GUSTY WINDS. SANGRES HAVE LIKELY POPS FOR THE SNOW SHOWERS...AND ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE LIGHT. FURTHER EAST...THE MAIN STORY WILL BE THE WIND. PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE PLAINS DURING THE LATE MORNING. COLD AIR ADVECTION ALOFT BEHIND THE TROUGH WILL RESULT IN AN UNSTABLE LOWER ATMOSPHERE. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE WINDS ALOFT TO MIX TOWARDS THE SURFACE. WITH THE DEVELOPING CYCLONE TO THE NORTH...DECENT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP ON THE PLAINS. WITH THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF THE CYCLONE...AGEOSTROPHIC FLOW WILL FURTHER INTENSIFY THE WINDS. CURRENT GRIDS HAVE A MARGINAL HIGH WIND EVENT ON THE PLAINS WITH SUSTAINED WINDS AROUND 40 MPH AND GUSTS TO 60 MPH. STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE IN THE AFTERNOON AND FROM JUST EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR TO THE KANSAS BORDER. WILL ALSO CONTINUE RED FLAG WARNING. MINIMUM HUMIDITIES ARE AROUND 20 PERCENT...BUT WITH DROUGHT AND STRONG WINDS THERE WILL STILL BE A DANGER FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IF DRY SLOT IS STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED...THEN DEW POINTS COULD BE EVEN LOWER THAN FORECAST. TONIGHT...AS SYSTEM MOVES EAST OF THE REGION TONIGHT...SNOW WILL END OVER THE MOUNTAINS BY 03Z. SOME BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. FOLLOWED PREVIOUS GRIDS FOR OVERNIGHT LOWS. --PGW-- LONG TERM... (SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY) MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE BETWEEN WEATHER SYSTEMS SUNDAY...ALTHOUGH A FEW SNOW SHOWERS MAY LINGER ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. MAX TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY COOL...AS WEAK SURFACE WINDS LIMIT MIXING. BY SUNDAY NIGHT...NEXT UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO LIFT EASTWARD THROUGH THE GREAT BASIN...WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SNOW ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE OVERNIGHT. SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL FAVOR THE SAN JUANS FOR HEAVIER SNOWFALL...THOUGH AMOUNTS WILL STAY FAIRLY LIGHT THROUGH SUNRISE MONDAY. UPPER TROUGH SWINGS EASTWARD THROUGH THE AREA MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT...WITH UPPER LOW CLOSING OFF OVER NORTHEAST NM TUESDAY MORNING. WILL LIKELY SEE HEAVY SNOW OVER THE SAN JUANS EARLY MONDAY...WITH FOCUS SHIFTING EASTWARD TO THE SANGRES/WETS BY MONDAY EVENING AS UPSLOPE FLOW DEEPENS. BAND OF HEAVY PRECIP THEN DEVELOPS OVER THE PLAINS BY TUE MORNING AS LOW WRAPS UP...AND COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF HEAVY/WET WIND DRIVEN SNOW SOMEWHERE ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE ARKANSAS RIVER BEFORE STORM EXITS THE REGION TUE EVENING. QUICK PEAK AT THE 06Z NAM/GFS SUGGESTS POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY SNOW OVER THE SAN JUANS AND ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SANGRES/RATON MESA...WHERE MODEL STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL APPROACHES 2 FEET. IF SYSTEM STAYS ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK...MOST PRECIP WILL STAY SOUTH OF THE ARKANSAS RIVER...LEAVING EL PASO/TELLER COUNTIES WITH ONLY SOME LIGHT SNOW MAINLY MON NIGHT. ALSO SOME CONCERN THAT SURFACE TEMPS ON THE PLAINS MAY NOT FALL MUCH BELOW FREEZING...LIMITING ACCUMS BELOW 4500 FEET. STILL MANY DETAILS TO BE WORKED OUT WITH THIS SYSTEM...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IN PRECIP EVENT HAS INCREASED ENOUGH TO BOOST POPS INTO THE LIKELY CATEGORY FOR THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS AND PORTIONS OF THE PLAINS MON NIGHT INTO TUE. KEPT THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST DRY FROM WED INTO SAT...WITH A WARMING TREND TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK AS SOUTHWEST FLOW INCREASES AHEAD OF NEXT UPPER TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE WESTERN U.S. --10 AVIATION...EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AT ALL THE TAF SITES DURING MUCH OF SATURDAY. WINDS WILL DEVELOP AT KALS BY AROUND SUNRISE...WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING. SNOW SHOWERS MAY BRIEFLY LOWER CONDITIONS TO SUB VFR...BUT THESE CONDITIONS SHOULD BE TRANSIENT. FOR KCOS AND KPUB...GUSTY WINDS WILL DEVELOP BY LATE MORNING. WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE DAY. BY EVENING...WINDS WILL DECREASE WITH VFR CONDITIONS. --PGW-- && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ084>089- 093>099. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ231>237. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR COZ058- 060. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ066. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ068. && 34/34
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 648 AM MDT SAT NOV 5 2011 COZ058>089-093>099-061300- 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- 648 AM MDT SAT NOV 5 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WILL OCCUR TODAY OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE REGION...WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL OVER THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. OVER THE ENTIRE AREA...GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR ON SATURDAY. OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE REGION...THE WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. OVER THE PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH OR GREATER ARE LIKELY FROM THE LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. LOW HUMIDITIES...A DROUGHT AND STRONG WIND WILL ALSO RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN PLAINS FOR TODAY. AS THE STORM MOVES EAST OF THE REGION...THE SNOW WILL END BY EARLY EVENING AND THE WINDS WILL WEAKEN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE NEXT IN A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT AS SNOW DEVELOPS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE OVERNIGHT. SNOWFALL MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES OVER THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS MONDAY...WITH SNOW SPREADING TO THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND THE EASTERN PLAINS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE ARKANSAS RIVER...THOUGH THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS STILL SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN AND WILL DEPEND OF THE TRACK OF THE WEATHER SYSTEM THROUGH THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE REGION...THE PLAINS AND INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR TODAY. 06/10
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 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, November 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: 353354, 353355, 353356, 353357, 353360, 353361, 353362, 353363, 353364, 353353, 353352.