A lightning strike ignited a wildfire 10 miles north of Steamboat Springs.
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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 GJT wrote it up.
A lightning strike ignited a wildfire 10 miles north of Steamboat Springs.
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.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Middle Fork Fire began in early September due to lightning 10 miles north of Steamboat Springs and grew to 20,517 acres before it was contained in mid November.
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: 922677.