Temperatures were above normal and precipitation was below normal across much of Colorado during the month of June. As a result, drought conditions in southwest Colorado either persisted or worsened.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
Temperatures were above normal and precipitation was below normal across much of Colorado during the month of June. As a result, drought conditions in southwest Colorado either persisted or worsened.
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 May 31, 10:34 PM MST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1134 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 .UPDATE... Issued at 758 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 Red Flag Warning (UTZ490) was expired at 8PM due to a decrease in winds and increasing RHs...to below critical fire weather criteria. && .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Monday night) Issued at 228 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 Southwest flow continues this afternoon with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing in a fairly moist low-level environment with additional dynamical lift provided by an associated jet aloft. These showers and thunderstorms will continue into the evening hours before dissipating overnight. The main impact will be gusty outflow winds, lightning, and brief heavy rain with these fast-moving storms. As a shortwave moves east into Montana on Monday the focus of the convection will shift slightly south over the forecast area. Expect isolated-scattered showers and thunderstorms to fire by late morning with the best focus along the Continental Divide and southern sections of the forecast area before diminishing during the evening hours. Localized fire weather conditions are also possible in northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado due to dry and breezy conditions as detailed in the fire weather section below. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday through Sunday) Issued at 228 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 Zonal flow will remain over the northern states with a closed low off of the southern California coast by Tuesday morning. A ridge of high pressure will dominate the weather pattern over our forecast area through most of the work week. Moisture will undercut the ridge on Tuesday with a chance of late-day showers and thunderstorms across the south and along the Continental Divide. Otherwise, expect dry and seasonably warm conditions on Tuesday. Drier air will move across the area on Wednesday and Thursday with a slight chance of late-day storms possible over the higher terrain. Model-model consistency is low after Wednesday with the track and evolution of the ejecting closed low across the Great Basin. We will take a consensus approach with an increased chance of shower and thunderstorm activity Friday into early Saturday. A broad trough will move over the western states by the weekend bringing drier and an increasing southwest flow over the region with possible fire weather concerns returning across the region. Temperatures will be seasonably warm through the period with more normal temperatures returning by the weekend. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Monday afternoon) Issued at 1051 AM MDT Sun May 31 2020 VFR conditions will dominate the forecast over the next 24 hours with afternoon showers and thunderstorms once again forming in the heat of the day. Winds over 25 mph will be likely at KCNY as the general gradient will be tightening. Strong wind gusts will be possible with any showers or storms as well as brief MVFR conditons. This activity could linger overnight especially at KDRO, KTEX and KGUC. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Monday night) Issued at 1131 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 A little more quiet than this time last night but there are still isolated showers that will be possible overnight. For the most part VFR conditions will prevail overnight though KTEX may see a passing shower and ILS conditions. Another round of showers and storms develop by early afternoon impacting mainly the southern TAF sites. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 758 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 Unstable conditions due to moist atmospheric conditions have led to another round of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Moisture will be better focused across the south on Monday with drier conditions across the north. This may lead to localized critical conditions across portions of zone 200 in Colorado and 487 in eastern Utah due to low relative humidity and breezy conditions. A pattern of late-day showers and storms will continue through most of the work week before a system lifts through the Intermountain West and brings a better chance of showers and storms Friday into early Saturday...with wetting rainfall a good possibility. Southwest flow is expected to increase ahead of a storm system over the western US and bring gusty southwest winds and heightened fire weather concerns for the region next weekend into early next week. Temperatures remain above normal. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...None. UT...None. && UPDATE...SS SHORT TERM...MPM LONG TERM...MPM AVIATION...TGJT FIRE WEATHER...TGJT
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 359 AM MDT Sun May 31 2020 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-011000- 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- 359 AM MDT Sun May 31 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Thunderstorm development with lightning and gusty outflow winds will be threats with storm that develop this afternoon and evening. A few isolated thunderstorms may survive into the early morning hours on Monday. Critical fire weather conditions will be found over east-central Utah where gusty winds and low humidity will be found this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Thunderstorm activity will occur over much of the southern and central Colorado terrain each afternoon early next week. Storm coverage looks to become more widespread from mid week onwards. Warming temperatures will continue to eat at the snowpack and flows will be increasing. Flows on the Green and Colorado will also be increased due to reservoir releases. However at this time no flooding is forecast. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected today or tonight, however spotters are encouraged to report excessive wind or any observed wind related damage to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 714 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 COZ019>021-010145- Southwest San Juan Mountains CO- Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River CO- Four Corners/Upper Dolores River CO- 714 PM MDT Sun May 31 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN DOLORES...WEST CENTRAL SAN MIGUEL AND NORTHEASTERN MONTEZUMA COUNTIES UNTIL 745 PM MDT... At 713 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking showers and storms along a line extending from near Dove Creek to near Cortez. Movement was northeast at 35 mph. Winds in excess of 45 mph will be possible with these showers. Locations impacted include... Cortez, Mancos, Dolores, Dove Creek, Cahone, Lebanon, Stoner, Lewis, Arriola and Yellow Jacket. This includes the following highways... U.S. Highway 491 in Colorado between mile markers 28 and 66. U.S. Highway 160 in Colorado between mile markers 39 and 58. Colorado 141 between mile markers 1 and 4. Colorado 145 between mile markers 1 and 32. LAT...LON 3802 10872 3744 10805 3726 10848 3775 10904 TIME...MOT...LOC 0113Z 238DEG 24KT 3774 10896 3735 10849 Stearns
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the entirety of the forecast zone through the end of June.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the eastern and central portions of the zone through the end of June and expanded westward slightly.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted across the far southern portion of the zone through the end of June and expanded to include the western portion of the zone.
The extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted across the eastern portion of the zone and expanded to encompass the entirety of the zone by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to the extreme (D3) category in mid June across the eastern portion of the zone.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to the extreme (D3) category in mid June across the majority of the zone.
The moderate (D1) drought across the western portion of the zone worsened to the severe (D2) category while the D2 drought continued over the eastern portion of the zone. By mid June, the far eastern portion of the zone worsened to the extreme (D3) category.
The moderate (D1) drought across the northern portion of the zone worsened to the severe (D2) category while the D2 drought continued over the central and southern portions of the zone. By mid June, the far southern portion of the zone worsened to the extreme (D3) category.
The moderate (D1) drought across the western and central portions of the zone worsened to the severe (D2) category while the D2 drought over the far eastern portion of the zone worsened to the extreme (D3) category by the end of the month.
The severe (D2) drought continued over the entirety of the zone through the month and worsened to the extreme (D3) category across the far western portion of the zone by the end of June.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, June 2020
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: 890850, 890851, 890852, 890853, 890854, 890855, 890856, 890857, 891016, 891017.