A series of low pressure centers delivered correct conditions for downslope winds across southern Colorado between February 19th through February 22nd.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 PUB wrote it up.
A series of low pressure centers delivered correct conditions for downslope winds across southern Colorado between February 19th through February 22nd.
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 Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 18, 10:26 PM MST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1026 PM MST Sat Feb 18 2023 .UPDATE... Issued at 918 PM MST Sat Feb 18 2023 Based off of high res guidance, the high wind warning which was in effect for parts of the southern I-25 corridor has been cancelled. Winds will eventually pick up across this region (especially tomorrow), but the probability of winds reaching warning criteria over a considerable area is not likely. \/Hodanish && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday) Issued at 313 PM MST Sat Feb 18 2023 Key Messages: 1) Potential for strong/damaging winds srn I-25 corridor tonight 2) Windy and warmer on Sunday Good deal of high level cloudiness has limited temps somewhat on the eastern plains this afternoon, while better mixed areas near the mountains have risen into the mid/upper 50s on the strength of gusty west winds. Overnight, main concern is high wind potential over the srn I-25 corridor, as mid/high level wly winds increase. Not a great set-up for a strong mountain wave as shear profile is only briefly neutral at best, though some gap-flow enhanced winds to 50 kts still look possible from La Veta Pass eastward toward Aguilar and Walsenburg through the night. HRRR gusts have been trending downward the past few runs, so confidence in 60 mph gusts is somewhat low, though with warning already out, will keep it in place for now. Elsewhere, expect pockets of breezy west winds through the night, keeping temps somewhat mild once again. A few snow showers will reach the Continental Divide toward sunrise as upper wave approaches, though better chances for snow will hold off until the daytime hours on Sunday. Winds increase area-wide on Sunday as upper wave drops through the Rockies and mid/upper level jet remains over Colorado. Many areas could see west winds gust in the 30 to 40 mph range by afternoon as surface pressure falls on the plains and mixing deepens, with the windiest spots in/near the eastern mountains. Max temps will climb with the wind, and 40s/50s will be widespread, maybe a 60f reading far southeast corner of the plains. Snow will become more widespread along the Continental Divide through the day, though accums will remain light with just an inch or 2 possible over the higher peaks of the Sawatch/Mosquitos through the day. .LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday) Issued at 313 PM MST Sat Feb 18 2023 Key Messages: 1) Potential for damaging winds near Rampart Range and northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Sunday night into Monday. 2) Heavy snow possible for eastern San Juan Mountains Tuesday night into Wednesday. 3) Shallow arctic airmass for the plains possible Wednesday into Thursday. .Sunday night and Monday...Next trough passes to the east of the region Sunday night. Behind the trough, northwest winds aloft will move into the region. The atmosphere is setting up for the potential for a mountain wave induce high wind event Sunday night and into Monday. Subsidence will create a near mountain top inversion with vertical shear being weak. The high resolution models are picking up on the signal with a ribbon of higher winds in the lee of the eastern mountains. The high resolution models show an area of strong winds just to the lee of Pikes peaks with a ribbon of winds,not quite as strong, extending northward into the Rampart Range. Past experience with the high resolution models suggest that the winds may be stronger in the lee of the Rampart Range. Another area which can get strong winds are in the lee of the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the western edge of the Wet Mountain Valley. Will maintain the high wind watch for this time as would want to see another run or two to get the finer details. Further south, high resolution models also suggest some strong winds in the lee of the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains and southern slopes of the Spanish Peaks. Past experience indicates that these areas do not get high winds with northwest flow. In addition, the higher winds stay in the mountain zones which have higher wind highlight criteria. Decided not to add them to the watch at this time. Otherwise it will be a mild day with windy conditions over and near the mountains. .Tuesday through Thursday...Trough moves onshore over the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday and moves into the Great Basin Wednesday before lifting northeast across Colorado. Moist southwest flow will impinge on the mountains Tuesday night and continues into Wednesday night. The Continental Divide region looks to get another round of significant snowfall with the heaviest snow over the eastern San Juans. Very preliminary snowfall estimates are 1-2 feet for the eastern san Juans with around half the amount for the remainder of the Continental Divide region. Further east, the plains and eastern mountains will be near the southern boundary of a shallow arctic airmass. Tricky temperature forecast for Wednesday and Thursday depending on how far south the arctic air reaches. Did not adjust the NBM temperatures which keeps the core of the colder air further north. With southwest winds aloft, the deeper arctic air would tend to stay further north and increased solar radiation may modify the airmass. However, arctic air has a tendency to move further south than what the models anticipate. .Friday and Saturday...Another trough will move across the region during this period with the best orographics over the eastern San Juan Mountains. Arctic air on the plains moves to the east with a warming trend. --PGW-- && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night) Issued at 1024 PM MST Sat Feb 18 2023 The main concern will be gusty west winds at all 3 taf sites during the next 24 hours. Winds will pick up during the early morning hours and will gradually increase through the morning into the early afternoon. Winds will be strongest during the mid afternoon and will only decrease somewhat tomorrow evening. Otherwise expect VFR conditions during the next 24 hours at KCOS, KPUB and KALS. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Watch from Sunday afternoon through Monday morning for COZ072-073-081-082. && UPDATE...HODANISH SHORT TERM...PETERSEN LONG TERM...PGW AVIATION...HODANISH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 501 AM MST Sat Feb 18 2023 COZ058>089-093>099-191215- Western Mosquito Range/East Lake County Above 11000 Feet- Leadville Vicinity/Lake County Below 11000 Feet- Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Western Chaffee County Between 9000 and 11000 Feet- Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Feet- Western Mosquito Range/East Chaffee County Above 9000 Feet- Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Upper Rio Grande Valley/Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Feet-Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Del Norte Vicinity/Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Alamosa Vicinity/Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Southern San Luis Valley- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 And 11000 Feet- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 and 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Northwestern Fremont County Above 8500 Feet- Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountains between 6300 and 10000 Feet- Wet Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Teller County/Rampart Range Above 7500 Feet/Pikes Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Feet-Pikes Peak Above 11000 Feet- Canon City Vicinity/Eastern Fremont County- Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge/Rampart Range Below 7500 Feet- Colorado Springs Vicinity/Southern El Paso County/Rampart Range Below 7400 Feet-Pueblo Vicinity/Pueblo County Below 6300 Feet- Walsenburg Vicinity/Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Feet- Trinidad Vicinity/Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Feet- Crowley County-La Junta Vicinity/Otero County- Eastern Las Animas County-Western Kiowa County- Eastern Kiowa County-Las Animas Vicinity/Bent County- Lamar Vicinity/Prowers County-Springfield Vicinity/Baca County- 501 AM MST Sat Feb 18 2023 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong to severe wind and wind gusts are expected across parts of the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains and southern I25 corridor tonight and into Sunday morning. Winds could gust well into the 60 mph range and possibly cause damage and make driving difficult, especially on north/south orientated roads. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday High winds along the southern I-25 corridor will decrease through the morning. Snow will spread into the Continental Divide on Sunday with 1 to 3 inches possible across the higher elevations of the Sawatch and Mosquito ranges. Areas of blowing and drifting snow can be expected across the higher areas and passes. The potential for damaging wind gusts will increase again Sunday night through Monday morning across the eastern slopes of the southeast mountains. The greatest risk areas will be across Pikes Peak, Teller county and the Rampart Range as well as the northern Sangre De Cristo mountains. However there is some potential for damaging gusts to spread into the adjacent lower elevations such as the Air Force Academy area, the western sides of the Wet mountain valley, as well as the southern Sangres and southern I-25 corridor. Gusts to 75 mph or greater will be possible for the mountain areas with gusts to around 60 to 65 mph spreading into the adjacent lower elevations. Please continue to monitor the latest forecasts for updates. Another storm system will take shape across the western U.S. by the middle of next week spreading snow into the Continental Divide Tuesday night through Wednesday. Moderate to heavy accumulations will be possible. Arctic air will drop through the northern U.S. with the potential for some of this cold air to spill into southern Colorado Wednesday night into Thursday. This could bring some some light snow to the region along with another brief cool down. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be likely over portions of the region. SIMCOE/31
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gust of 58 mph reported.
Mesonet reported 63 mph wind gust.
Awos reading.
Wind gust of 58 mph.
Wind gust of 75 mph measured.
Wind gust of 60 mph.
Wind gust of 87 mph.
Wind gust of 87 mph measured.
Wind gust of 96 mph measured.
Wind gust of 59 mph.
Measured wind gust of 98 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, February 2023
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: 1083661, 1083662, 1083660, 1083663, 1083669, 1083665, 1083667, 1083670, 1083671, 1083664, 1083673.