A potent storm system generated wind gusts to around 60 mph across parts of the San Luis Valley and southeast plains.
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.
A potent storm system generated wind gusts to around 60 mph across parts of the San Luis Valley and southeast plains.
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 Mar 18, 10:39 AM MST, 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1139 AM MDT SUN MAR 18 2012 .AVIATION...SOUTH WINDS INCREASING ABOUT AS EXPECTED...WITH GUSTS OVER 40 KNOTS AND BLOWING DUST ALREADY AT KALS. KPUB/KCOS WINDS A LITTLE SLOWER TO RAMP UP AS CLOUDS HAVE LIMITED MIXING LATE THIS MORNING...THOUGH LATEST OBS SHOW GUSTS BEGINNING TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON...S/SW WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE ALL AREAS...WITH GUSTS OVER 40 KNOTS AT THE TAF SITES. BLOWING DUST WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF MAINLY MVFR VISIBILITY AT KALS THROUGH 00Z...WITH POTENTIAL FOR SOME REDUCED VIS AT TIMES SPREADING ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS AFTER 20Z. SNOW HAS BEEN SLOW TO GET GOING OVER THE MOUNTAINS...THOUGH EXPECT IT TO INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY WITH IFR CONDITIONS BECOMING FAIRLY WIDESPREAD OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN BY 22Z. OVERNIGHT...WINDS WILL SLOWLY DECREASE AFTER 06Z...WHILE -SHSN CONTINUE TO PRODUCE AREAS OF IFR CONDITIONS MOST MOUNTAIN AREAS THROUGH 12Z. ON MONDAY...STILL POTENTIAL FOR S/SW WINDS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS AT THE TAF SITES...MAINLY IN THE 15Z-20Z PERIOD...WHILE MOUNTAINS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE REMAIN IFR DUE TO CLOUDS AND -SN. --PETERSEN && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 504 AM MDT SUN MAR 18 2012/ SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ..HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED FOR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...WITH HIGH WINDS AND VOLATILE FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS... LOTS OF HIGHLIGHTS TO TALK ABOUT IN THE SHORT TERM. UPPER TROF ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S. WILL TRANSLATE EASTWARD WITH NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED UPPER JET ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE UPPER TROF AND TRANSLATING ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN CO DURING THE AFTERNOON. QUESTION WILL BE HOW STRONG WINDS WILL GET ACROSS THE REGION. SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS ACROSS THE PLAINS IN RESPONSE...AND HRRR AND LOCAL WRF SUGGEST SUSTAINED SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AROUND 40 MPH SHOULD BE ACHIEVABLE ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. WITH DEEP MIXING...THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH DURING THE AFTERNOON. THERE IS STILL SOME CONCERN THAT INCREASING HIGH CLOUDINESS MAY LIMIT THE GUST POTENTIAL SOME...HOWEVER...SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS SHOULD MEET HIGH WIND THRESHOLDS OF 40 MPH. THUS WILL UPGRADE THE WATCH TO THE WARNING...AND WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS OF WESTERN LAS ANIMAS AND NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTIES AS WELL. HIGH RES MODELS SUGGEST THAT SOUTHERN EL PASO AND PUEBLO COUNTIES WILL COME UP JUST SHY OF HIGH WIND CRITERIA...SO WILL KEEP THEM OUT OF THE WARNING NOW. HOWEVER...THIS AREA WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY FOR FURTHER EXPANSION IF NECESSARY. WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...THESE CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN VOLATILE CONDITIONS FOR FIRE SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. RED FLAG WARNING HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED AND STILL LOOKS ON TRACK. NEEDLESS TO SAY...ANY WILD FIRES TODAY COULD QUICKLY SPREAD OUT OF CONTROL DUE TO THE VERY STRONG WINDS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN...WHICH COULD REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES...AND STRONG CROSS WINDS COULD POSE HAZARDS TO THOSE ON NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADWAYS THIS AFTERNOON. ANOTHER AREA WITH POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS TODAY WILL BE ACROSS THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. HAVE INCLUDED SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE VALLEY IN THE HIGH WIND WARNING AS WELL. AS MOISTURE INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA...HIGH BASED SHOWERS/-TSRA MAY HELP TRANSPORT SOME OF THESE STRONG WINDS ALOFT TO THE SURFACE...RESULT IN GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH. MEANWHILE...SNOW SHOULD RAMP UP EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUANS...THEN SPREADING INTO THE REMAINDER OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE REGION BY AFTERNOON...AND INTO THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL FALL ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WHERE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL PROVIDE THE MOST FAVORABLE OROGRAPHICS. TEN TO 20 INCHES OF SNOW WILL POSSIBLE ACROSS THIS REGION...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS OF 5-10 INCHES ACROSS THE LA GARITAS...AND THE SAWATCH RANGE AND CREST OF THE SANGRES. WITH STEEPENING LAPSE RATES...COULD EVEN SEE SOME ISOLATED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON...AND HAVE INCLUDED -TS IN THE GRIDS. THIS WILL RESULT IN LOCALLY INTENSE SNOWFALL RATES AT TIMES. FINALLY...MODELS KEEP THE DRY LINE JUST EAST OF THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...THOUGH LATEST MODEL RUNS DO LOOK A TAD FARTHER WEST...ESPECIALLY LATER TONIGHT. DEEP MOISTURE AND HIGHER CAPE VALUES APPEAR TO STAY IN KANSAS...SO DON'T THINK WE WILL BE DEALING WITH ANY SEVERE POTENTIAL. BUT DID MAINTAIN SOME ISOLATED POPS ACROSS THE FAR EASTERN BORDER AREAS THIS EVENING. -KT LONG TERM... (MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY) MODELS IN MUCH BETTER AGREEMENT TONIGHT IN REGARDS TO THE EVOLUTION OF THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN. ALL MODELS NOW BRING THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND CLOSE A LOW OFF ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO...INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE ON MONDAY AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL BE ONGOING MONDAY MORNING FOR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW EXPECTED OVER THE SAN JUAN RANGE. LIGHTER SNOWFALL WILL ALSO CONTINUE OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND THE SANGRE DE CRISTO RANGE. THE MAIN CONCERN FOR THE PLAINS LOOKS TO BE FIRE WEATHER. HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN LOW HEADING INTO MONDAY WITH WIDESPREAD READINGS IN THE LOWER TEENS. SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE...ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE PLAINS...AHEAD OF THE UPPER SYSTEM PASSING TO THE SOUTH. WINDS WILL LIKELY GUST IN THE 30 TO 40 MPH RANGE OVER THIS AREA. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH THE LOW HUMIDITY VALUES TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. MODELS IN LINE WITH A COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH OVER THE PALMER DIVIDE BY 00Z TUES AND CONTINUING SOUTH INTO NEW MEXICO BY TUESDAY MORNING. MODELS PRINTING OUT SOME LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW FOR THE PALMER DIVIDE BY LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON...SPREADING SOUTH THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. GIVEN THE NORTHERLY WINDS THROUGH THE MID LEVELS...THINK THE AREAS TO SEE PRECIP WILL BE THE PALMER DIVIDE...LEE SLOPES OF THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND THE RATON MESA. ALL MODELS FOLLOW THIS PROGRESSION WITH PRECIP COMING TO AN END NORTH TO SOUTH TUESDAY MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL ALSO DECREASE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING WITH MINOR ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS. BEYOND TUESDAY...MODELS SLOW TO MOVE THE UPPER LOW OUT OF TEXAS AND INTO THE OZARKS. HOWEVER MODELS HAVE CONVERGED ON A MORE EASTERLY SOLUTION WITH RIDGING BUILDING INTO THE ROCKIES ON WEDNESDAY. GIVEN THE NEAR STATIONARY PATTERN...EXPECT WARMING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION WITH 70S ACROSS THE PLAINS THROUGH THE LAST HALF OF THE WORK WEEK. SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW IS FORECAST TO INCREASE LATE WEEK WITH ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS RETURNING TO THE AREA. 88 AVIATION... MTN OBSCURATIONS WITH WIDESPREAD SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO THE CONTDVD REGION THIS MORNING...CONTINUING THE EVENING WITH IFR TO LIFR CIGS/VIS. MEANWHILE...WINDS WILL INCREASE AT THE TAF SITES WHERE A PERIOD OF SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25-35 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 40-45 KTS WILL CAN BE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. CIGS WILL LOWER AT KALS DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR -SHRA/-TSRA. AT THIS POINT...THINK CIGS WILL REMAIN IN THE VFR CATEGORY. SAME STORY FOR KCOS WITH VFR CIGS MOVING IN DURING THE AFTERNOON...THOUGH THINK ANY -SHRA SHOULD STAY WEST OF THE TERMINAL OVER THE PIKES PEAK AREA. WINDS WILL SHIFT OUT OF THE WEST DURING THE EARLY EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH...WITH WINDS DECREASING...THOUGH STILL REMAINING IN THE 15-25KT RANGE AT TIMES. -KT && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ070-071-084- 088-089-093>099. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ222-226>237. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR COZ073- 075. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT MONDAY FOR COZ060-066-067. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT MONDAY FOR COZ068. && 10/27
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 628 AM MDT SUN MAR 18 2012 COZ058>089-093>099-191230- 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- 628 AM MDT SUN MAR 18 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET STREAM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY IN ADVANCE OF A POTENT STORM SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE GREAT BASIN. STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO TODAY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE ACROSS MOST OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...AND SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON. THESE STRONG WINDS ALONG WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES...AND THE TINDER DRY FUELS ACROSS THE PLAINS WILL RESULT IN VOLATILE CONDITIONS FOR FIRE SPREAD TODAY. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST MAY RESULT IN POOR VISIBILITIES AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY NEAR ANY RECENTLY PLOWED FIELDS. THESE WINDS WILL ALSO RESULT IN STRONG CROSS WINDS ALONG EAST WEST ORIENTED ROADWAYS POSING HAZARDS TO HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. MEANWHILE...HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THIS MORNING...SPREADING EASTWARD INTO THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. ISOLATED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...RESULTING IN LOCALLY INTENSE SNOWFALL RATES. THIS WILL RESULT IN POOR VISIBILITIES AND SNOWPACKED ROADWAYS. SNOWFALL TOTALS WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 20 INCHES ACROSS THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...TO 6 TO 12 INCHES ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...AND THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE LA GARITAS...SAWATCH...AND SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAIN RANGES BY LATE TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST FOR PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN PLAINS...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE KANSAS AND NEW MEXICO BORDERS. WIDESPREAD SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL GUST TO NEAR 40 MPH AND WILL COMBINE WITH HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE LOWER TEENS TO PRODUCE THE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM LATE MORNING TO LATE AFTERNOON MONDAY. SNOW WILL BE ONGOING ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS FORECAST OVER THE SAN JUAN RANGE WHERE AN ADDITIONAL 5 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE. LIGHTER SNOWFALL IS FORECAST OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND SANGRE DE CRISTO RANGE WHERE AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE. EXPECT SNOW TO TO DECREASE THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING FOR THE MOUNTAINS. AREAS OF LIGHT SNOWFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING FOR THE PALMER DIVIDE...LEE SLOPES OF THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND THE RATON MESA. ANY SNOW WILL BE LIGHT WITH LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW IS FORECAST TO INCREASE BY LATE IN THE WEEK WHICH MAY LEAD TO ANOTHER PERIOD OF DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MOUNTAINS TODAY AND TONIGHT. 31/88
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 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 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: 371890, 371893, 371899, 371902, 371905, 371910, 371911, 371912, 371914, 371894, 371897, 371922.