Thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall moved across western Colorado during the afternoon of July 5th. These storms produced flash flooding across central Rio Blanco county and outflow winds in excess of 58 mph in Eagle County.
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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 GJT wrote it up.
Thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall moved across western Colorado during the afternoon of July 5th. These storms produced flash flooding across central Rio Blanco county and outflow winds in excess of 58 mph in Eagle 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 Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 5, 2:25 PM MST, 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 325 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 321 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 DEEP MOISTURE IS OVER THE CWA AS EVIDENCED BY SFC DWPTS IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S AND PCP WTR ANALYSIS. HOWEVER SHRT WV TRIGGER SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE WEST (MORE OVER CNTRL UT)THAN ANALYZED THIS MORNING. ALSO WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION AND LIGHT WINDS ALOFT THE SHEAR ENVIRONMENT IS WEAK INHIBITING DEVELOPMENT. BUFKIT FCST SOUNDING ALSO DID NOT INDICATE MUCH IN THE WAY OF ANY CAPE WITH VALUES TYPICALLY LESS THAN 300 J/KG. AS A RESULT ORGANIZED CONVECTION SPOTTY OVER WRN CO...WHILE ERN UT SHOWS A MORE ORGANIZED SIGNATURE. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE TREND TONIGHT. HOWEVER CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO LAST WELL INTO THIS EVENING...TAPERING OFF BY MIDNIGHT. A FEW SUBTLE CHANGES SEEN FRIDAY AS MOISTURE PLUME GETS PUSHED EWRD ...BUT STILL REMAINS OVER WRN CO. CURRENT WV SATELLITE SUPPORTS THIS IDEA WELL. THAT MEANS CONVECTION WILL FAVOR WRN CO WHILE ERN UT SEES A DECREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE OF STORMS. STILL NO EVIDENCE OF A SHRT WV STRONG ENOUGH TO PROVIDE WIDESPREAD ORGANIZED CONVECTION. SO WILL SEE ANOTHER DAY OF SPOTTY DIURNALLY DRIVEN SHOWER AND TSTM ACTIVITY. CAPE VALUES ALSO NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SAW TODAY. THE NAM INDICATES A WEAK VORT LOBE PASSING OVER WRN CO NEAR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS MAY ALLOW CONVECTION TO BE A LITTLE MORE WIDESPREAD TOMORROW EVENING...BEFORE TAPERING OFF AROUND MIDNIGHT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 321 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 BY SATURDAY THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL SPREAD WESTWARD AND THEN BUILD OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN REGION THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. ONCE TO OUR WEST...THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BE IN A LESS FAVORABLE POSITION FOR KEEPING THE DEEP SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE TAP OVER OUR FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER MOISTURE AND ENERGY WILL CONTINUE TO ROTATE AROUND THE HIGH CENTER...KEEPING A CHANCE OF MAINLY DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. EXPECT THE MAIN AREA TO FEEL THE DRIER AIR WILL BE OVER THE NORTHWEST. THEN MODELS INDICATE THE HIGH CENTER WILL SHIFT EAST AND BE CENTERED RIGHT OVER WESTERN COLORADO AND EASTERN UTAH DURING THE SECOND HALF OF NEXT WEEK. THIS IS A LITTLE BETTER POSITION FOR INCREASED MOISTURE...BUT STILL NOT OPTIMAL. WE WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE THE NUANCES OF WHERE THE PLUME SETS UP. EXPECT THE CONVECTIVE FLAVOR FROM DAY TO DAY WILL BE VERY DEPENDENT UPON...AND ENHANCED BY ANY EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES ROTATING ACROSS THE AREA. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 321 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY... ALTHOUGH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING NORTHWARD ACROSS THE CWA. STORMS WILL BE MOST NUMEROUS OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. THIS WILL CREATE AREAS OF MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AND OUTFLOW WINDS TO 25 TO 35 MPH IN THE VICINITY OF STORMS BETWEEN 00Z AND 06Z. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WITHIN THE VICINITY OF ALL AIRPORTS FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE BEST CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER AIRFIELDS COMING BETWEEN 21Z AND 03Z. THESE STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL. AS A RESULT...BRIEF MVFR VSBY AND CIGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH PASSING STORMS. FOR THE MOST PART AIRPORT IMPACTS WILL BE MINIMAL WITH REDUCTION IN FLIGHT CATEGORIES BELOW VFR UNLIKELY. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 321 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 WITH HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR EAST...A GOOD PLUME OF SUB TROPICAL MOISTURE HAS MOVED OVER EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. THEREFORE STORMS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED TO BY DRY. THIS DEEPER MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THEREFORE THE MAIN FIRE WEATHER CONCERN AT THIS TIME WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY THAT RAIN OVER RECENT BURN SCARS MAY PRODUCE EXCESSIVE RUNOFF AND/OR DEBRIS FLOWS. THE RIDGE IS PROGGED TO GRADUALLY SHIFT WEST THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND THEN STALL OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN REGION EARLY NEXT WORK WEEK. WHILE THIS SHOULD BRING A DOWNTURN IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTHWEST...THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WITH WETTING RAIN WILL CONTINUE. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...NONE. UT...NONE. && SHORT TERM...MC LONG TERM...EH AVIATION...MC FIRE WEATHER...EH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 545 AM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-061200- LOWER YAMPA RIVER BASIN-CENTRAL YAMPA RIVER BASIN- ROAN AND TAVAPUTS PLATEAUS-ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS- UPPER YAMPA RIVER BASIN-GRAND VALLEY-DEBEQUE TO SILT CORRIDOR- CENTRAL COLORADO RIVER BASIN-GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS- GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS- CENTRAL GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER BASIN- WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS-FLATTOPS- UPPER GUNNISON RIVER VALLEY-UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU AND DALLAS DIVIDE- NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS- PARADOX VALLEY/LOWER DOLORES RIVER- FOUR CORNERS/UPPER DOLORES RIVER-ANIMAS RIVER BASIN- SAN JUAN RIVER BASIN-SOUTHEAST UTAH-EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS- EASTERN UINTA BASIN-TAVAPUTS PLATEAU-ARCHES/GRAND FLAT- LA SAL AND ABAJO MOUNTAINS-CANYONLANDS/NATURAL BRIDGES- 545 AM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LOOK FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...DEVELOPING LATE THIS MORNING...INCREASING IN AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON...AND CONTINUING INTO THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING WITH SOME PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS FROM LATE AFTERNOON ONWARD. GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS TO 25 TO 35 MPH ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL DECREASE LATER THIS EVENING...BUT MAY CONTINUE LATE INTO THE NIGHT IN SOME AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE STREAMING INTO THE REGION THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL FUEL SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUNDERSTORM WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH EARLY NEXT WEEK AS DRYER AIR FILTERS INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
112 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012
UTZ027>029-052000-
ARCHES/GRAND FLAT UT-CANYONLANDS/NATURAL BRIDGES UT-LA SAL AND ABAJO
MOUNTAINS UT-
112 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN GRAND AND NORTHERN
SAN JUAN COUNTIES UNTIL 200 PM MDT...
AT 109 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MOAB...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS.
LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
MOAB...
CASTLE VALLEY...
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK...
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.
LAT...LON 3799 10959 3856 10979 3895 10944 3875 10906
3873 10906
PFSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 346 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 COZ002-013-052230- CENTRAL YAMPA RIVER BASIN CO-FLATTOPS CO- 346 PM MDT THU JUL 5 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL RIO BLANCO AND EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN MOFFAT COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM MDT... AT 343 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MEEKER...OR 37 MILES SOUTH OF CRAIG...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... MEEKER AROUND 400 PM MDT. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND SMALL CREEKS...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. LAT...LON 4024 10791 4023 10759 3992 10765 3993 10789 JDC
The Grand Junction radar (KGJX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:02 UTC.
2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm producing heavy rainfall resulted in flash flooding with running water at least six inches deep being reported near mile marker 8 on County Road 8.
Heavy rainfall from a passing thunderstorm produced flash flooding over County Road 15 between mile markers 5 and 6. A large amount of debris was washed onto the roadway.
A severe thunderstorm wind gust was reported by a trained spotter near Avon.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, July 2012
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: 479461, 479462, 479463.