Colorado, 2022Dust 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.
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.
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- 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.
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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</html>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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</html>Local storm report, Apr 22, 12:47 PM MST, 13 minutes before
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</html>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.
- 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.
- Wildfire and Dust Storm in Nebraska, April 22 to 29, 20221 death · 5 injured · 71 kt wind · 8 events
- Wildfire and Dust Storm in New Mexico, April 22 to 30, 2022$11 million · 81 kt wind · 51 events
- Tornadoes and Wildfire in Kansas, April 22 to 29, 20221 injured · $347,000 · EF1 · 61 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Nebraska, April 22 to 23, 2022$500,000 · 72 kt wind · 12 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in North Dakota, April 22 to 23, 2022$100,000 · 1.25 in hail · 11 events
- Tornado and Wildfire in South Dakota, April 22 to 23, 2022$47,000 · 2.5 in hail · 25 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, April 22 to 23, 20222 in hail · 48 events
- Wildfire and Hail in Nebraska, April 22 to 29, 20221.75 in hail · 39 events
- Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, April 22 to 23, 2022EF0 · 38 events
- Wildfire and Dust Storm in Colorado, April 22, 2022$33,000 · 78 kt wind · 6 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 22 to 23, 20222.5 in hail · 22 events
- High Wind in Colorado, April 22 to 23, 202270 kt wind · 19 events
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.