Extremely dry and windy conditions, combined with critically dry vegetation, led to an uncontrolled wildfire 30 miles northeast of Meeker that lasted for several days.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Extremely dry and windy conditions, combined with critically dry vegetation, led to an uncontrolled wildfire 30 miles northeast of Meeker that lasted for several days.
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 Apr 30, 9:23 PM MST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1023 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 .UPDATE... Issued at 812 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 Critical fire weather conditions have ceased across the lower elevations of southwest Colorado as winds have decreased and relative humidity has increased. Therefore, the Red Flag Warning has been allowed to expire. && .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Friday night) Issued at 258 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 Upper ridge is translating across the Rockies today with an upstream trough building into the the West. High cloudiness has been persistent and is limiting mixing with temperatures struggling a bit and winds lagging in some areas of the Red Flag warnings. Looks like the April sub 90 degree streak in the Grand Valley is safe. Jet forcing and this moisture is just enough to spark convection across portions of northern Colorado and Utah. A mid level front looks to focus these storm across the far northern border which may linger into the late evening hours before settling down. A similar scenario look on track for tomorrow though temperatures will be down just a but with the departure of the upper ridge. The northern stream jet will be active and another weak surface boundary looks to be forced into our northern CWA Friday. Ascent over this boundary and from the jet again looks to kick off another round of more organized afternoon thunderstorms mainly north of the Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus. Critical fire weather conditions remain a concern and most likely over southwest Colorado. Highs remain above normal. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 258 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 The broad and weakening trough swings through the region Saturday and will keep a threat of storms anchored over the northern CWA on Saturday. The pattern becomes more zonal behind this wave going into Sunday and the better forcing lift north with the jet stream. This will bring drier conditions back to the north with temperatures remaining slightly above normal through the remainder of the forecast. Afternoon mixing in this environment is likely to bring fire weather concerns to the area during this time as well though coverage may remain spotty at best. Another passing wave comes mid week but it appears to keep the far northern mountains under the threat of light precipitation. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Friday night) Issued at 1017 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 Scattered showers and storms will continue across the northern sites for the next several hours. These showers will be capable of producing wind gusts of 30-45 mph before dissipating around 08-09Z. Another round of afternoon showers is possible today for sites mainly north of I-70. Surface winds will again be gusty, but rain showers could enhance those speeds similar to last evening. For the most part VFR conditions are expected. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 812 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 Dry and gusty conditions expected again Friday with less confidence in coverage. For now the Paradox Valley and North Fork Valley have the highest probability of critical fire weather conditions and Red Flags issued for these areas tomorrow afternoon. Other areas will have spotty critical fire weather conditions. This spotty coverage trend continues through the weekend so critical fire weather decisions are likely to be day to day. Precipitation will be limited areas north of I-70. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 258 PM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 The upper Yampa River Basin will see a few rivers rise to near bankfull through the weekend with localized low land flooding near these rivers a possibility. Other smaller streams and tributaries will also see the cold water runoff increase as temperatures spike this afternoon. Forecast trends suggest a slow decline in river temperatures next week. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...Red Flag Warning from 2 PM to 9 PM MDT Friday for COZ290-292. UT...None. && UPDATE...NL SHORT TERM...15 LONG TERM...15 AVIATION...TGJT FIRE WEATHER...TGJT HYDROLOGY...TGJT
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 419 AM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-011030- 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- 419 AM MDT Thu Apr 30 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Critical fire weather conditions are expected for portions of west-central and southwest Colorado valleys this afternoon and evening due to gusty southwest winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels. Agricultural burning is discouraged. Isolated thunderstorms are possible across the north, favoring high terrain producing more wind than rain. The warmest temperatures of the year are expected today with near record highs possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Mostly dry and unseasonably warm weather is expected through the weekend, with scattered thunderstorms mainly for areas along and north of I-70. Elevated fire weather concerns are possible for southwest Colorado valleys as well through the weekend. Dry and somewhat cooler conditions return early next week. .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 Wyman Fire began on April 30th, 30 miles northeast of Meeker. It grew to 455 acres before it was contained a few days later on May 2nd.
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, May 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: 880636.