A lightning strike ignited a wildfire about 8 miles southwest of Rifle.
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The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.
A lightning strike ignited a wildfire about 8 miles southwest of Rifle.
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 28, 4:52 PM MST, 2 hours 38 minutes earlier.
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</html>Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 551 AM MDT Sat Jul 28 2018 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-291200- 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- 551 AM MDT Sat Jul 28 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight More convection is expected today as daytime heating, moisture, and the jet stream aloft all aid in convective development. Gusty winds from any convection may reach 40 to 50 mph this afternoon and evening. Most storms and showers will die down shortly after sunset though a few may linger past then. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Dry conditions will move in Sunday through Wednesday causing a noticeable decrease in convection across the area. Even so, some showers and storms will likely fire over higher terrain. Coverage will be much less than we've seen lately. Moisture starts increasing Wednesday onwards which will cause convection to increase as well. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Cache Creek fire began due to lightning ignition about 8 miles southwest of Rifle and grew to 2,703 acres before it was contained in early October.
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, July 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 778585.