On December 16th, East-Central Colorado saw high wind gusts within the region due to a very strong surface low located just west of the Great Lakes Region. The maximum non-thunderstorm wind gust recorded was 61 mph.
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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 GLD wrote it up.
On December 16th, East-Central Colorado saw high wind gusts within the region due to a very strong surface low located just west of the Great Lakes Region. The maximum non-thunderstorm wind gust recorded was 61 mph. As a result of these winds, blowing snow and blowing dust were also reported within the region that reduced visibilities.
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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 16, 10:33 AM MST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Goodland KS 1033 AM MST Fri Dec 16 2022 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Sunday Night) Issued at 144 AM MST Fri Dec 16 2022 06Z Water Vapor Imagery/ RAP analysis indicated a large closed low circulation across the upper midwest, with shortwave ridging starting to move into Montana. At the surface, strong low pressure center was located north of KMSP with strong gradient from low center all the way to central KS. Primary near term concerns will center around winds and temperatures the next few days as relatively quiet weather is expected over the weekend. Today-Tonight...In many ways, Today is going to be very similar to yesterday as an intense jet of winds will be in place 1-1.5 km off the surface with the primary question being if the boundary layer can deepen enough to mix down these stronger winds. Still concerned about area of 60+mph winds just above the mixed layer, but with a similar pattern yesterday the highest winds observed remained in the 50-55 mph range. Will keep an eye on latest probabilistic data, but think we will see another period of strong wind gusts to around 55 mph centered around 18z before decreasing. Winds will weaken through the overnight hours as pressure gradient weakens and strong near surface inversion develops. Otherwise expect another round of clouds to rotate around low circulation as differential temperature advection and some weak PV advection aloft provide some lift. Could see a few flurries in the extreme northern CWA, but overall profiles look pretty stable and do not anticipate any threat for accumulation Saturday-Sunday Night...Airmass will warm significantly as winds aloft relax, leading to warmer temperatures and finally a break from the stronger winds. Fairly dry air will remain over the area driving humidity values to the teens on Saturday which may enhance fire danger somewhat although winds are expected to below critical thresholds. Weather will remain quiet through the weekend as temperatures aloft continue to warm ahead of next cold front late Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening. Current timing tends to favor a fropa more in the evening allowing for another mild day across much of the area. While GFS suggests some precip possible as shortwave trough interacts with frontal zone overnight, operation run not well supported by own ensembles and even less so from other ensemble packages. Therefore think continued dry forecast is in order. Much colder air will settle across this area leading to the first of many cold nights through the coming week. .LONG TERM...(Monday through Friday) Issued at 117 AM MST Fri Dec 16 2022 Prolonged cold temperatures are expected through the long-term period. A lee low will travel east along the southern KS border Monday. This low will help pull cooler northern air into the Tri-State area and keep maximum temperatures in the 20s and low 30s Monday and Tuesday. Overnight temperatures Monday and Tuesday will be in the single digits while wind chills will be near -10F, with some locations possibly seeing -15F wind chills. Wednesday, a rapidly intensifying trough will begin impacting the Great Plains. Model guidance is still showing a wide variety of paths and timing solutions. What we are seeing as the most likely solution is that a surface lee low will form northwest of the CWA and create southerly winds on Wednesday. This will help get temperatures up near freezing before an arctic air mass dominates the region Wednesday night into Friday morning. Wednesday night's low temperatures will drop below 0F behind a cold front while wind chills will drop below -20F across the entire Tri- State area. There is a chance of precipitation in the northern portions of the CWA as the cold front begins to move into the area. Northerly winds will gust over to 30 kts Thursday morning. Temperatures will likely only reach the mid teens to lower 20s Thursday. Thursday night will cool off to near 0F with wind chills near -10F or colder. The low pressure system will move east and a weak ridge will begin building in behind it. The ridge should be influencing the Tri-State area by Friday, allowing for high temperatures near freezing. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday afternoon) Issued at 1022 AM MST Fri Dec 16 2022 Windy to very windy at times conditions will be common across the area with gusts up to 40 knots across the area. Sporadic MVFR ceiling around 3000 feet are possible throughout the afternoon due the dry snow upstream being lofted into the air. Currently not expecting any reductions in visibility due to blowing snow. Winds will become breezy and not as strong after sunset with skies clearing out. Winds will finally let up around sunset Saturday morning. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JRM LONG TERM...CA AVIATION...Trigg
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Goodland KS 1111 AM MST Fri Dec 16 2022 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-171815- Yuma-Kit Carson-Cheyenne-Rawlins-Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas- Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove-Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock- Red Willow- 1111 AM MST Fri Dec 16 2022 /1211 PM CST Fri Dec 16 2022/ This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska... northwest Kansas and east central Colorado. .DAY ONE...TODAY... Strong winds will once again develop across the area during the late morning and afternoon hours. Widespread northerly wind gusts in excess of 45 mph are expected, with a few areas seeing gusts approaching 55 mph in a few areas. Blowing snow will reduce visibilities in a few locations, mainly near the Kansas,Nebraska and Colorado border. Blowing Dust is also expected along and south of Highway 40 through sunset. Wind chills will fall to 5 to 10 degrees below zero tonight, mainly in eastern Colorado. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... Colder air will build into the area through next week, with dangerously low wind chills becoming widespread by Thursday morning. Those with vulnerable outdoor interests such as livestock should prepare for several days of very cold conditions by the middle of the week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected, but reports of strong wind gusts or visibility reductions due to blowing snow and dust will be appreciated.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1042 AM MST FRI DEC 16 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1030 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SE COLBY 39.38N 101.04W
12/16/2022 M50 MPH THOMAS KS MESONET
MESONET STATION FW8773 COLBY.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1057 AM MST FRI DEC 16 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1056 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 E LEOTI 38.48N 101.33W
12/16/2022 M50 MPH WICHITA KS MESONET
KANSAS MESONET SITE KWHK1.
&&
TTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1059 AM MST FRI DEC 16 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1035 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SW RUSSELL SPRINGS 38.89N 101.22W
12/16/2022 M51 MPH LOGAN KS MESONET
KANSAS MESONET SITE USSK1.
&&
TTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1100 AM MST FRI DEC 16 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 N LUDELL 39.90N 100.96W
12/16/2022 M54 MPH RAWLINS KS MESONET
KANSAS MESONET SITE LUDELL 3 N.
&&
TTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1109 AM MST FRI DEC 16 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1053 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 S BURLINGTON 39.23N 102.28W
12/16/2022 M54 MPH KIT CARSON CO ASOS
ASOS STATION KITR BURLINGTON CO AIRPORT.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1111 AM MST FRI DEC 16 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1056 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 E ARAPAHOE 38.85N 102.13W
12/16/2022 M50 MPH CHEYENNE CO MESONET
MESONET STATION UP694 2.2 E ARAPAHOE (UPR).
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
KITR ASOS reported non-thunderstorm wind gusts over 58 mph during this time with a maximum wind gust of 61 mph at 11:53 AM MST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2022
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: 1072132.