Colorado, 2022

Dust Storm in Colorado, April 22, 2022

April 22, 2022 · NWS GJT · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A strong cold front caused wind gusts to around 45 to 55 mph across southwest Colorado. An area of dust and dirt from northern New Mexico was lifted hundreds of feet into the air, reducing the visibility to less than one mile across portions of Archuleta and La Plata counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

A strong cold front caused wind gusts to around 45 to 55 mph across southwest Colorado. An area of dust and dirt from northern New Mexico was lifted hundreds of feet into the air, reducing the visibility to less than one mile across portions of Archuleta and La Plata counties.

What forecasters said that day

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 22, 12:06 PM MST, 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 22, 12:06 PM MST, 54 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 22, 3:32 AM MST, 9 hours 28 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
432 AM MDT Fri Apr 22 2022

COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-231045-
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-
432 AM MDT Fri Apr 22 2022

This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western
Colorado.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Strong and gusty southwest winds will impact the region today
with the strongest winds expected across southeast Utah, and
east-central and southwest Colorado. These areas will see winds
from 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 50 mph.

Snow develops over the eastern Utah mountains this morning then
spreads across the western Colorado mountains this afternoon. The
heaviest snow is expected tonight with accumulations ranging from
3 to 6 inches across the northern and central mountains and from
2 to 4 inches elsewhere. Expect locally higher amounts across the
peaks and favored west facing ranges. Isolated thunderstorms are
also possible this afternoon and evening, mainly in the north.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday

Saturday and Sunday: Widespread mountain snowfall continues
Saturday becoming more scattered in coverage Sunday. Total
snowfall accumulations ranging from 5 to 10 inches with locally
higher amounts are possible, mainly across the northern ranges.

Monday through Thursday: Little chance for hazardous weather.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 22, 12:35 PM MST, 25 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 22, 12:47 PM MST, 13 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 22, 12:48 PM MST, 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 22, 12:50 PM MST, 10 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 22, 12:51 PM MST, 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 22, 12:52 PM MST, 8 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Dust Storm, Animas River Basin

When
April 22, 1:00 PM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Animas River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large plume of dust was evident across portions of the Animas River Basin. While the sensor at the Durango-La Plata County Airport only reported a minimum visibility of 3 SM, satellite observations showed visibilities were much lower as wind gusts exceeded 50 mph.

Dust Storm, San Juan River Basin

When
April 22, 1:00 PM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
San Juan River Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
37.194, -107.048 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large plume of dust was evident across portions of the San Juan River Basin. The Emergency Manager of Archuleta County reported that visibilities of less than one mile occurred in blowing dust as wind gusts exceeded 50 mph. The event was sustained for several hours.

What these are

Dust Storm
Blowing dust that reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2022

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1010574, 1010575.