Strong winds, gusting in excess of 80 mph at times were noted over primarily higher terrain locations of southern Colorado. Wind gusts between 58 and 60 mph with this event were recorded near Fort Carson, Walsenburg, Alamosa and Colorado City.
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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 PUB wrote it up.
Strong winds, gusting in excess of 80 mph at times were noted over primarily higher terrain locations of southern Colorado. Wind gusts between 58 and 60 mph with this event were recorded near Fort Carson, Walsenburg, Alamosa and Colorado City. Wind gusts of 70 mph were measured near La Veta Pass, while a wind gust of 78 mph was observed near the Air Force Academy. A wind gust that clocked 87 mph occurred at the Pikes Peak summit.
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 3, 10:41 AM MST, 3 hours 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1041 AM MST Sat Mar 3 2018 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 325 AM MST Sat Mar 3 2018 High fire danger is the main concern for today. An upper level trof will remain over the western U.S. today, and will then move into UT overnight, leaving southwest flow aloft over CO. A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11 AM until 8 PM for the lower slopes of the eastern mtns, Fremont county and all of the southeast plains. It is possible that some locations of the eastern plains, especially along the Arkansas River, may not see winds that are strong enough for long enough this afternoon to meet the red flag criteria, but other portions of these counties are expected to meet the criteria. In the San Luis Valley, there will probably be some locations, especially in the southern half of the valley, that will see red flag criteria at times, but not expecting widespread critical conditions for 3 hrs or longer and will therefore not issue a fire weather highlight. Temps today will be well above average, with highs in the 70s over most of the southeast plains, with mainly mid to upper 60s in El Paso county, and in the mid to upper 50s in the San Luis Valley, and in the mid 50s to lower 60s in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. There have been strong winds over the eastern mtns and will continue this thru the day and thru tonight. Tonight there will be areas of breezy west to southwest winds and this will make the low temp forecast quite challenging. Will generally go a bit warmer than guidance. At this time it looks like chances for precip will remain west of the forecast area thru the night, so will leave the forecast dry. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Friday) Issued at 325 AM MST Sat Mar 3 2018 ...Strong winds and critical fire weather conditions for Sunday... Sunday...A strong upper low pressure system will sweep across the Rocky Mt region Sunday, bringing a quick shot of some snow to the higher terrain as well as strong winds for the higher elevations as well as the eastern plains. Snow looks like it will be restricted to the Continental Divide, and moreso the central mts and northward, with new snow amounts ranging from 3 to 5 inches. The eastern plains will remain dry, though the strong downslope winds will produce good warming and prompt critical fire weather conditions once again. Therefore, went ahead and upgraded to a Red Flag Warning for the plains Sunday aftn. Very efficient mixing coupled with the upper jet is pushing expected winds close to high wind criteria for the eastern mts, but current forecast grids indicate only spotty high wind criteria for a couple of hrs. Will have following shifts take another look to see if some sort of high wind highlight is needed. Look for highs in the 40s to around 50F for the high valleys, and 60s to mid 70s for the plains. Monday...The upper low will move across the upper Midwest Monday, with very strong northwest flow settling in behind it. There is some indication that this could be another near-critical fire weather day, as well as another day of potential high winds. With two days of warnings already in place for today and tomorrow, will not hoist anything for Monday at this time. Save for a few lingering snow showers possible over the central mts, expect dry conditions with temps in the 40s for the high valleys, and 40s to mid 50s for the plains. Tuesday through Friday...Dry and breezy through much of the upcoming work week as northwest flow aloft becomes more westerly by Thu. Maximum temp readings are forecast to be in the 40s to around 50F for all areas Tue and Wed, then warm up for Thu and Fri with 50s for the high valleys, and mid 50s to mid 60s for the plains. Moore && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday afternoon) Issued at 1035 AM MST Sat Mar 3 2018 VFR conditions are expected during the next 24 hours at all 3 taf sites; kpub, kals and kcos. The main concern during this period will be locally gusty southwest winds, especially at KALS and KCOS this afternoon. As a heads up...STRONG southwest surface winds are anticipated tomorrow afternoon across all 3 taf sites. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for COZ222-225>237. Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 7 PM MST Sunday for COZ226>237. && SHORT TERM...28 LONG TERM...MOORE AVIATION...HODANISH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 516 AM MST Sat Mar 3 2018 COZ058>089-093>099-041400- Western Mosquito Range/East Lake County Above 11000 Feet- Leadville Vicinity/Lake County Below 11000 Feet- Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Western Chaffee County Between 9000 and 11000 Feet- Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Feet- Western Mosquito Range/East Chaffee County Above 9000 Feet- Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Upper Rio Grande Valley/Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Feet-Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Del Norte Vicinity/Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Alamosa Vicinity/Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Southern San Luis Valley- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 And 11000 Feet- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 and 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Northwestern Fremont County Above 8500 Feet- Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountains between 6300 and 10000 Feet- Wet Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Teller County/Rampart Range Above 7500 Feet/Pikes Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Feet-Pikes Peak Above 11000 Feet- Canon City Vicinity/Eastern Fremont County- Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge/Rampart Range Below 7500 Feet- Colorado Springs Vicinity/Southern El Paso County/Rampart Range Below 7400 Feet-Pueblo Vicinity/Pueblo County Below 6300 Feet- Walsenburg Vicinity/Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Feet- Trinidad Vicinity/Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Feet- 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- 516 AM MST Sat Mar 3 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Gusty southwest winds this afternoon and early this evening, in combination with humidities below 15 percent and dry fuels, will lead to critical fire weather conditions over the southeast plains, the I-25 corridor and the lower slopes of the eastern mountains. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Windy to very windy conditions are expected on Sunday, as the West Coast storm system sweeps east across the Great Basin and the Rockies. The passing storm system will bring a period of wind driven snowfall to the Continental Divide Sunday and Sunday night, with light to moderate snow accumulations possible. The strong winds, combined with dry fuels and warm conditions, will once again support extreme fire danger across the eastern plains through the afternoon on Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters will not be needed today or tonight. 28/27
The 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 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 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: 742005, 742006.