A wildfire began from unknown causes about 15 miles northeast of Meeker.
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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.
A wildfire began from unknown causes about 15 miles northeast of Meeker.
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 Aug 30, 10:23 PM MST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1123 PM MDT Thu Aug 30 2018 .UPDATE... Issued at 719 PM MDT Thu Aug 30 2018 Winds have decreased and RHs have increased allowing cancellation of the red flag warning previously in effect. The remainder of the forecast looks on track. && .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Friday night) Issued at 355 PM MDT Thu Aug 30 2018 Split flow along the E.Pac interface with the CONUS will be collapsing over the next 24 hours with the northern stream digging out a trough over the West. This will one keep a fetch of high level Pacific moisture directed at us which will slowly push PWAT upward and two keep a moderately strong branch of SW winds overhead. This uptick in moisture will combine with instability and lead to isolated shower and thunderstorm activity tomorrow afternoon. With most of the moisture above the 10kft level...the very dry PBL layer will lead to a gusty outflow wind threat more than significant rainfall. This is likely to lead to isolated critical fire weather conditions at times but overall widespread elevated fire danger is not anticipated. The clouds associated with this moisture push is also making for a trickier temperature forecast so for now very minimal changes were made to the near term forecast. Above normal temperatures remain probable. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 355 PM MDT Thu Aug 30 2018 The extended pattern continues to show low pressure dominating western NOAN as high pressure dominates the Mid-Atlantic Coast and the SE.Pacific. Overall this will keep a weak fetch of mositure directed our way and instability will be better realized not being under a strong area of high pressure. This means a return to the daily afternoon thunderstorm regime with quiet nights. Don't really see an opportunity for a big push of monsoonal moisture in this pattern as the better transport will be well east into the High Plains. So looks like we should be settling back to temperatures hoovering near normal though the dry conditions may have something to say to that. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Friday night) Issued at 1123 PM MDT Thu Aug 30 2018 Less wind expected across the region today, however shower and thunderstorm activity is expected over the mountains. Storms are unlikely to move over TAF sites, however outflow winds from showers and thunderstorms could impact TAF sites during the afternoon and evening. Otherwise, expect VFR conditions with CIGS remaining above ILS breakpoints throughout the period. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...None. UT...None. && UPDATE...SS SHORT TERM...15 LONG TERM...15 AVIATION...NL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 358 AM MDT Thu Aug 30 2018 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-311000- 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-Flat Tops- 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- 358 AM MDT Thu Aug 30 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Due to wind, low humidity and dry fuels, critical fire weather conditions will develop late this morning, continuing through the afternoon and into the evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday There is a chance for afternoon and evening thunderstorms each day over the mountains. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The James Fire began from unknown causes about 15 miles northeast of Meeker and grew to 324 acres before it was contained in early September.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, August 2018
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: 778602.