A weather system generated wind gusts exceeding 60 mph across sections of Huerfano and Las Animas Counties.
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The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
A weather system generated wind gusts exceeding 60 mph across sections of Huerfano and Las Animas Counties.
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 17, 5:13 AM MST, 4 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 513 AM MST Thu Nov 17 2016 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 513 AM MST Thu Nov 17 2016 ...High winds and Extreme Fire Weather Conditions expected across the southeast plains along/south of Highway 50 today... ...Snow for the Central Mountains and Palmer Divide through this Evening... Potent upper trof across the Great Basin early this morning will continue to translate eastward across Colorado today. Have seen some snow showers in area radars along the west slopes overnight...and snow should continue to increase through the morning as upper lift increases ahead of the trof. Still getting around 3 to 8 inches of snow for the western mountains with the heaviest falling across the higher elevations of the Sawatch and Mosquito ranges. Have hoisted a winter weather advisory for this area as winds will likely cause some blowing snow and poor visibilities at times during the afternoon. Farther south...dry air wrapping around the base of the trof should serve to decrease snow for the southwest mountains during the afternoon...so don't think impacts will be as high down that way where snow totals are more in the 1 to 4 inch range. For the plains...initial push of the front is starting to move into southeast CO with winds increasing out of the northeast at 10-15 mph. Across the mountain areas have seen gusts up in the 50-60 mph range at times...particularly across the Wets and Sangre De Cristo range...and radar is showing a high wind signature at times. As upper jet translates in later this morning...models mix down strong southwest winds as the sfc low deepens across southeast CO and front recedes back to the north. HRRR has been persistent in showing fairly widespread gusts in the 50-60 mph range across southern portions of the southeast plains...mainly to the south of highway 50 during the afternoon. Sfc pressure gradient looks pretty impressive so think high winds are a good enough bet to hoist a high wind warning for the southern tier counties of the plains. Its possible that these warnings may need to be extended another row of counties northward depending on how things evolve...but will continue to monitor latest HRRR runs before deciding. Areas of blowing dust and strong cross winds along north south oriented roadways will result in hazardous travel conditions through late afternoon and early evening. Other area where high res models indicate potential for high winds is across the Sangre De Cristo mountains and Wet mountains. Model cross sections and soundings do not show conditions conducive to mountain wave development...and think that wind gusts are more likely to stay below the 75 mph threshold. Meanwhile...northerly push of colder air will spread southward down the Palmer Divide between 20-21z...with quickly falling temperatures and snow spreading into the Pikes Peak region. Models suggest peak snowfall will occur right around the evening commute but with the residual warmth in the ground...think roadways will stay slushy at first. Local models still indicate around 1 to maybe 2 inches of snow across Teller/northern El Paso county through this evening...with snow quickly winding down during the late evening and overnight. Untreated roads may become slick during the evening as temperatures fall into the lower 20s and teens by midnight. Given strong north winds in the 20-40 mph range...could see some reduced visibilities in blowing snow during the evening commute as well. Isolated showers will spread south of the Palmer Divide during the evening...but most will stay north of highway 50. Given strong downslope off the Palmer...and strong downward forcing behind the trof...little to no precipitation is expected across the plains. Winds will shift out of the north during the evening...then gradually subside by early Friday morning as the system pulls away. -KT .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 513 AM MST Thu Nov 17 2016 Primary meteorological concerns during the longer term include temperatures, gusty winds at times and increased precipitation potential from Monday into Tuesday evening. Recent forecast model soundings, computer simulations and PV analysis for the longer term indicate that generally dry conditions should be noted from Friday into Sunday night as upper ridging transitions from Arizona into Texas during this time-frame. Then unsettled meteorological conditions are anticipated from Monday into Tuesday night as upper disturbance located near southern California on Monday moves across New Mexico and Colorado into Tuesday before moving east of the forecast district by next Wednesday. In addition, next northerly surge is projected to move across eastern sections of the CWA by next Tuesday. For sensible weather, basically dry conditions in combination with below seasonal temperatures will be depicted from Friday into Saturday morning(where minimal temperatures in the teens will be commonplace Saturday morning across large sections of the forecast district). Warming temperatures in combination with continued dry conditions should then be noted from later Saturday into Sunday night. Then, as system impacts the region, expect that increasing pops(including higher terrain snow) will be noted over western portions of the forecast district Monday, with precipitation shield(as well as higher terrain snow) then spreading east into many locations from later Monday into Tuesday evening with improving meteorological conditions expected to return by next Wednesday as system pulls away from Colorado. As mentioned earlier, coolest temperatures during the longer term should be noted from Friday into Saturday morning, while warmest conditions are anticipated Sunday. Finally, highest potential of gusty winds are expected Friday and then again by early next week. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Friday morning) Issued at 513 AM MST Thu Nov 17 2016 Deteriorating CIGS and VIS expected along the Contdvd this morning with conditions dropping to the IFR to LIFR category in SN/BLSN. TAF sites however will stay VFR with winds increasing from the southwest at KALS during the late morning. Initially winds at KCOS and KPUB will swing around from the Northeast then east and southeast as a front moves through. However...winds will switch around from the south then southwest by 18z with gusts up to 40 kts. Winds will shift around from the west with gusts up to 45 kts during the mid- late afternoon. This will cause reduced visibilities in BLDU at KALS and KPUB. A cold front will drop south of the Palmer Divide around 20-21z...bringing a wind shift out of the north for KCOS around 22z and KPUB between 00-01z. VCSH will be possible along/behind the front at KCOS...with rain changing to snow by 00z. KCOS terminal should see less than 0.5 snowfall before snow decreases during the evening. KPUB will stay dry. Conditions will gradually improve after 06z as the system exits the region and SHSN comes to an end over the mountains. -KT && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 10 AM this morning to 6 PM MST this evening for COZ087-088-094-099. Red Flag Warning from 10 AM this morning to 6 PM MST this evening for COZ228>230-232-233-235>237. Winter Weather Advisory until midnight MST tonight for COZ058- 060. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 626 AM MST THU NOV 17 2016 COZ058>089-093>099-181330- 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 9000FT- 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 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500FT/PIKE'S 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 VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FEET- 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- 626 AM MST THU NOV 17 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THIS MORNING WITH SNOW BECOMING HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 8 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE HEAVIEST FALLING ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE EASTERN SAWATCH AND WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGES. STRONG WEST WINDS 20 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH WILL CAUSE REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER PEAKS AND PASSES...PARTICULARLY FOR MONARCH PASS...TENNESSEE AND FREMONT PASSES. LIGHTER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS IN THE 1 TO 3 INCH RANGE CAN BE EXPECTED FOR THE HIGHER PEAKS OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO RANGE. MEANWHILE...STRONG SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WILL SPREAD INTO THE LOWER ELEVATIONS DURING THE LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THIS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES TO PRODUCE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR FOR THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 50 TODAY. WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 50 TO 60 MPH IN THIS AREA...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ACROSS HUERFANO...LAS ANIMAS...AND BACA COUNTIES THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST IN THIS AREA MAY REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO AROUND A MILE AT TIMES AND STRONG CROSS WINDS WILL BE HAZARDOUS TO VEHICLES...PARTICULARLY THOSE TRAVELING ALONG NORTH SOUTH ORIENTED ROADS. SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO THE PIKES PEAK AND MONUMENT HILL REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE BY LATE EVENING. DETERIORATING CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED DURING THE EVENING COMMUTE AS TEMPERATURES FALL RAPIDLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND STRONG NORTH WINDS CAUSE REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING SNOW. GIVEN THE INITIAL WARM GROUND...ROAD SURFACES SHOULD REMAIN SLUSHY...BUT AS TEMPERATURES DROP INTO THE TEENS AND 20S OVERNIGHT...UNTREATED SURFACES COULD FREEZE BY FRIDAY MORNING. A FEW RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL SPREAD INTO THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS THIS EVENING...BUT WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH AS THEY MOVE TOWARDS HIGHWAY 50. ONLY SPOTTY LIGHT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED. SNOW WILL DECREASE FOR ALL AREAS BY MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE NEXT ROUND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW AT TIMES...PRIMARILY OVER HIGHER TERRAIN LOCATIONS IS ANTICIPATED FROM MONDAY INTO TUESDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO TODAY AND TONIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
756 AM MST THU NOV 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 S WOLF CREEK PASS 37.46N 106.80W
11/17/2016 M62 MPH MINERAL CO MESONET
MESONET STATION WOLF CREEK PASS SUMMIT
/CAWCP/.
&&
NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
940 AM MST THU NOV 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0914 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 S LA VETA PASS 37.51N 105.17W
11/17/2016 M55 MPH HUERFANO CO AWOS
AWOS STATION LA VETA PASS /VTP/.
0800 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 S WOLF CREEK PASS 37.46N 106.80W
11/17/2016 M66 MPH MINERAL CO MESONET
MESONET STATION WOLF CREEK PASS SUMMIT
/CAWCP/.
&&
NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, November 2016
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: 666985, 666987.