A lightning strike ignited a wildfire about 32 miles west-northwest of Rifle north of Roan Plateau.
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The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.
A lightning strike ignited a wildfire about 32 miles west-northwest of Rifle north of Roan Plateau.
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 Sep 5, 2:57 PM MST, 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 357 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Friday night) Issued at 305 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 Satellite and radar imagery continue to indicate several storms across the San Juans and cetral portions of the forecast area. For the most part, storms have remained fairly close to ridgelines with only a couple drifting off downwind. As previously mentioned, expect this activity to continue into the evening hours as the disturbance continues to rotate around the high along with moisture. Based on model estimates and satellite data, precipitable water values should be around 1 inch across a portion of the area. Although less robust than originally thought, low level dry air is still moving in from the southwest which continues to be diluted by moist air as it progresses north. As such, strong outflow winds are expected to become less of a threat as the lower atmosphere continues to moisten. Late Friday into early Saturday, a shortwave trough will move across northern portions of the forecast area leading to slightly increased precipitation chances. Previously, models were highlighting Friday as the more favored day as the wave moves past. Guidance still holds precipitation in the higher elevations near the Continential Divide and extreme northern portions of the forecast area Friday. Some of these showers/storms could continue through the overnight hours on Friday as the wave passes, but the best chances look to be Saturday... Temperatures remain above normal through the short term with little change. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 305 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 ...Latest guidance has hedged the best precipitation chances more toward Saturday morning and afternoon as the wave progresses east. The big change in the long term will be a trough currently located off the Pacific Northwest. This system will move southeast and come on shore on Saturday evening then move across the Great Basin Sunday bringing the trough axis across our area by around midnight Sunday. Previously, models had been fairly consistent keeping our area in the dry slot with the 06Z GFS being an outlier digging further south and pulling more moisture into our area. However, the latest runs have brought the EC and Canadian closer the GFS solution suggesting more moisture being pulled into our region ahead of this trough passage. As such, precipitation chances and RH's have increased. What was previously a potential red flag concern with widespread gusty to strong winds and dry air looks (thanks to a tightened pressure gradient with jet support above), now appears a little more moist. Still anticipating decent winds at the surface on Sunday, but the RH's will likely not reach critical levels if this guidance holds true. Additionally, precipitation coverage and intensity has increased with only southeastern Utah remaining dry with this event. We then enter southwest flow and prepare for another potential trough moving through the region on Thursday. Temperatures begin a slight cooling trend with continued cloud cover on Saturday. The big story remains the cool air moving in with the Sunday trough. Daytime high temperatures are expected to drop about 10 degrees across the board from now through Sunday bringing us close to normals and remaining there through at least the first half of next week. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) Issued at 1140 AM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 Showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon over the higher terrain and move over northern and central valleys. Expect gusty outflow winds near storms with breezy conditions extending into evening hours. VFR conditions will prevail for most locations with storm activity temporarily reducing vis in higher elevations, primarily at TEX, ASE, EGE, and GUC. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...None. UT...None. && SHORT TERM...SS LONG TERM...SS AVIATION...ERW
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 333 AM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-060945- 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- 333 AM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Scattered storms will develop this afternoon and evening focused over the high terrain. Gusty outflow winds and lightning are the main concerns with storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Showers and storms become more widespread Friday through the weekend, with better chance of wetting rain. A strong low pressure system will move through Sunday, resulting in dry, windy and cooler conditions. Dry weather continues into early next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1237 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 UTZ025-051915- Tavaputs Plateau UT- 1237 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL UINTAH COUNTY UNTIL 115 PM MDT... At 1237 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 44 miles east of Sunnyside, or 46 miles northeast of Green River, moving northeast at 5 mph. Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of south central Uintah County. LAT...LON 3940 10960 3951 10972 3972 10957 3945 10925 TIME...MOT...LOC 1837Z 238DEG 6KT 3948 10957 ERW
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 125 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 UTZ025-052000- Tavaputs Plateau UT- 125 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN UINTAH COUNTY UNTIL 200 PM MDT... At 124 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 42 miles southwest of Rangely, or 50 miles southeast of Fort Duchesne, moving northeast at 10 mph. Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Brief heavy rainfall is possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of southeastern Uintah County. LAT...LON 3956 10945 3968 10952 3984 10932 3961 10914 TIME...MOT...LOC 1924Z 237DEG 8KT 3967 10936 ERW
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 131 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 UTZ025-052000- Tavaputs Plateau UT- 131 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL UINTAH AND NORTHEASTERN GRAND COUNTIES UNTIL 200 PM MDT... At 131 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 44 miles northeast of Green River, moving northeast at 10 mph. Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Brief heavy rainfall is possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of south central Uintah and northeastern Grand Counties. LAT...LON 3933 10963 3947 10971 3963 10954 3937 10921 TIME...MOT...LOC 1931Z 231DEG 9KT 3945 10957 ERW
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
226 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019
COZ002-003-052100-
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus CO-Central Yampa River Basin CO-
226 PM MDT Thu Sep 5 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL RIO BLANCO COUNTY
UNTIL 300 PM MDT...
At 225 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 27
miles northwest of Parachute, or 47 miles north of Grand Junction,
moving northeast at 5 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm. Brief heavy rainfall is possible with this storm.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of south central Rio
Blanco County.
LAT...LON 3971 10838 3970 10848 3972 10854 3995 10838
3977 10812
TIME...MOT...LOC 2025Z 222DEG 5KT 3976 10837
ERWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Hunt Fire began in early September due to lightning about 32 miles west-northwest of Rifle north of Roan Plateau. The fire grew to 3,766 acres before it was contained in mid October.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, September 2019
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: 852015.