Temperatures were above normal and precipitation was below normal across much of Colorado during the month of October. As a result, drought conditions persisted across the entirety of the western slope and worsened to the exceptional category in some areas by the end of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 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 October. As a result, drought conditions persisted across the entirety of the western slope and worsened to the exceptional category in some areas by the end of the month.
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 30, 10:34 PM MST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1134 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Thursday night) Issued at 345 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2020 Expect little change in conditions over the next 36 hours as the ridge of high pressure persists over the West. The 12Z/Wed sounding at GJT held just 0.25" in the column and models indicated little to no moisture flux through Thursday night. Therefore expect clears skies tonight and Thursday night with sunny skies over the forecast area on Thursday. Highs will run about 5 degrees above normal on Thursday. In contrast, strong radiational cooling under clear skies is expected to bring lows near normal both tonight and Thursday night. .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 345 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2020 A mid-level shortwave trough moving south-southeastward brushes the Continental Divide Friday afternoon. This dry system will bring some clouds and breezy afternoon winds for the higher valleys along the Divide, but no precipitation. The increased wind combined with low relative humidity and dry fuels could produce localized critical fire weather conditions. At this point, coverage and duration don't favor a watch. The ridge lingers this weekend, and though highs will be a few degrees cooler Saturday in the wake of Friday's disturbance, the sunny, mild and dry conditions will continue. Models indicated a trough moving through the southwest Canada and the northern Rockies/s early next week will flatten the ridge. However, the ridge rebuilds over the area Tuesday into Wednesday. In terms of sensible weather, the flattening of the ridge will have little impact and temperatures are expected to remain warmer than normal while the dry weather continues. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night) Issued at 1132 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2020 VFR conditions expected next 24 hours and beyond with clear skies, generally light terrain-driven winds with some occasional breezes in the afternoon. Some thin high clouds are expected to move in Thursday evening. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...None. UT...None. && SHORT TERM...NL LONG TERM...NL AVIATION...MDA
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 430 AM MDT Wed Sep 30 2020 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-011300- 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- 430 AM MDT Wed Sep 30 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday A dry disturbance will bring localized critical fire weather conditions to northwest and west-central Colorado on Friday. Otherwise, no hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
21 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the eastern and central portions of the zone and worsened to the exceptional (D4) category in the western portion of the zone by the end of October.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the western and southeastern portions of the zone through the end of October while the exceptional (D4) drought continued to expand across the central portion of the zone.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted across the eastern half of the zone while the exceptional (D4) category remained over the western half of the zone by the end of October.
The exceptional (D4) drought over the western portion of the zone expanded to include the entirety of the zone by the end of October.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the majority of the zone through the end of October while the far eastern portion of the zone remained under the exceptional (D4) category.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the far eastern portion of the zone through the end of October while the exceptional (D4) category continued across the remainder of the zone.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the northwest portion of the zone through the end of October while the exceptional (D4) category continued across the remainder of the zone.
The exceptional (D4) drought persisted across all but the far western portion of the zone through the end of October.
The exceptional (D4) drought continued across all but the far southern portion of the zone through the end of October.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the entirety of the zone through the end of October.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the majority of the zone through the end of October while the exceptional (D4) category continued across the far southeast portion of the zone.
The exceptional (D4) category persisted across all but the far southwest portion of the zone through the end of October.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across all but the far northern portion of the zone through the end of October where exceptional (D4) conditions continued.
The exceptional (D4) drought persisted across the western and central portions of the zone while extreme (D3) conditions continued elsewhere through the end of October.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the western portion of the zone through the end of October while exceptional (D4) conditions continued over the eastern portion of the zone.
The exceptional (D4) drought persisted across the entirety of the zone through the end of October.
The extreme (D3) drought across much of the northern tier of the zone worsened to the exceptional (D4) category by the end of October while D4 conditions persisted across the far southern portion of the zone.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across the majority of the zone and worsened to the exceptional (D4) category across the far northeast portion of the zone by the end of October. D4 conditions continued over the far southern portion of the zone.
The exceptional (D4) drought continued to expand to include all but the far southeast and far southwest portions of the zone by the end of October where the extreme (D3) category persisted.
The extreme (D3) drought persisted across all but the north-central portion of the zone through the end of October where the exceptional (D4) category continued.
The exceptional (D4) drought continued to expand to include all but the far northeast portion of the zone through the end of October where extreme (D3) conditions persisted.
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, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 922680, 922681, 922682, 922683, 922684, 922685, 922686, 922687, 922688, 922689, 922690, 922691, 922692, 922693, 922694, 922695, 922696, 922697, 922698, 922699, 922700.