A period of high winds was noted over southern Colorado on this day, with the highest wind gusts generally staying south of Highway 50. Highest wind gusts up to around 70 mph were observed, along with blowing dust across the far southeast plains.
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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 PUB wrote it up.
A period of high winds was noted over southern Colorado on this day, with the highest wind gusts generally staying south of Highway 50. Highest wind gusts up to around 70 mph were observed, along with blowing dust across the far southeast plains.
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 Mar 30, 10:29 AM MST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1129 AM MDT Thu Mar 30 2023 .UPDATE... Issued at 911 AM MDT Thu Mar 30 2023 Ran an update to adjust winds. Not sure what happened with the morning package, but wind grids were impacted, mainly at the mountain tops of the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Ranges. Brought them back up to more realistic values. Mozley && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 412 AM MDT Thu Mar 30 2023 Key messages: 1) Very windy today. 2) Fire Weather Concerns HIGH today 3) Some snow for the CONTDVD region, especially San Juan mtns. Currently... Skies were clear over the fcst area at 3 AM, but the clouds were not far away as teh western slope was covered with quite a bit of high cloudiness. Some weak echoes were being detected by regional radar analysis with this cloudiness, but none of this was likely reaching the ground. A well defined thermal axis was noted over the plains at this hour. Temps were around 50F over far SE CO while the rest of the plains were in teh 20s to around 30F. Steady SW'erly winds were noted in the warm air while flow was negligible in the cooler air. Temps in the mid mtn slope regions and parts of the valleys where uncharacteristically warm, with readings well into the 30s. Mtn tops were only in the 20s. Today... the main concern will be the winds and fire weather concerns. The current concerns have been well advertised over the last couple of days and there are no changes to the hilites. The only concern I have is the high wind warnings may be a bit overdone, nonetheless it is still going to be quite windy over the entire region. Best impacts will likely be felt over the San Luis Valley as this region has the best chance of reaching High Wind Warning criteria, the rest of the region not so much. As for the Red Flag warning, this will be a slam dunk across the fcst areas as winds will be well over 25 mp and min RH values will be in the single digits most of the plains. With the strong downslope flow, temps will be quite mild today with 50s in the SLV, 60s to L70s I-25 corridor and near 80F over the far eastern plains. NOTE: winds for Pueblo area may not pick up until after 2-3 pm. today. As for the snow, the San Juans should see the most, with generally 8- 12" amounts. La garitas will not see all that much snow. Central mtns should see 4 to 8 inches during the next 24 hour period. Tonight... Pacific front will push across the region later tonight. Winds will slowly decrease this evening but it is likely to remain windy/breezy across the region through the nighttime hours. Although there will be cold advection tonight, the downslope component may will likely keep mins by morning in the U20s to L30s across the plains; with 20s in the valleys. Mtns will see teens and single digits. Snow will decrease over the San Juans while it will remain steady over the central mtns. \/Hodanish .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 412 AM MDT Thu Mar 30 2023 Key Messages: 1) Windy Friday with critical fire weather conditions over the Interstate 25 corridor and plains. .Friday...Windy northwest flow develops over the region behind the strong trough that passed over the state. Decreased the wind speeds and gusts from the NBM over the CWA as the NBM winds have had a high bias. Winds will increase starting around sunrise and strengthen through midday. Winds do not look strong enough for any wind highlights as 700mb and surface pressure gradient are not sufficiently strong. Main weather concern will be critical fire weather conditions with windy conditions and low daytime humidities with dry air aloft. The current red flag warning looks good. In addition, some snow will continue along the Continental Divide region into the morning with the highest accumulations in the mountains of Lake and Chaffee Counties. Humidities in the San Luis Valley are above critical fire weather conditons, and if the airmass is drier than forecast a red flag warning may be needed there as well. .Saturday and Sunday...Zonal flow develops with the jet stream north of the area. Dry and mild weather is expected with Sunday being the warmest day. Main concern will be the potential for critical fire weather conditions. Daytime humidities remain low. The NBM has tended stronger with the winds, increasing the threat for critical fire weather conditions. If the pattern continues, some fire weather highlights may be needed. .Monday through Wednesday...Next strong trough moves into the Great Basin Monday and will move across the northern Rockies sometime around Tuesday. There could be fire weather concerns for Monday if the stronger southwest flow ahead of the trough reaches the forecast area. Some models have hinted at a weak cool front on Monday over the plains which may reduce the fire weather threat. Some snow may start moving into the mountains on Monday mainly affecting the Continental divide region. With the trough passing to the north on Tuesday, cyclogenesis over the northern high plains could produce a windy day with increased concerns for critical fire weather conditions. Snow could continue over mainly the Continental Divide region. Models and ensembles suggest a secondary disturbance could move southeast into the region on Wednesday along with a cold front, bringing a suggestion for some precipitation mainly to the eastern mountains. --PGW-- && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) Issued at 1119 AM MDT Thu Mar 30 2023 Main concern today for all three terminals will be winds. Strong southerly to southwest winds, which have already developed at KALS, will spread east into KCOS and KPUB over the next couple of hours. Areas of blowing dust will be possible, reducing visibility at the terminals. The strong winds will subside some by late this evening and overnight, shifting to more west to northwest. Another round of strong winds are expected across the region by mid morning. Mozley && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT Friday for COZ060-066-068. High Wind Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for COZ069>075- 077>080-083>088-094-099. Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for COZ226>237. Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 7 PM MDT Friday for COZ226>237. && UPDATE...MOZLEY SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...PGW AVIATION...MOZLEY
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 422 AM MDT Thu Mar 30 2023 COZ058>089-093>099-311030- 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- 422 AM MDT Thu Mar 30 2023 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight It will become windy today across all of the region. Strong southwest winds will affect all areas. On the plains, the strongest winds will likely affect the I-25 corridor region with gusts to 35 to 55 mph likely. Over the far eastern plains, expect gusts to 30 to 50 mph. The winds will pick up shortly after noon time most of the plains, but may not get going in the Pueblo region until 2 to 3 pm. The San Luis valley will see southwest wind gusts to 45 to 60 mph, with the strongest winds during the later afternoon time period. The mountains, especially the Sangre De Cristo and Wet mountains, will see gusts of 45 to 70 mph. CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER conditions WILL occur today over all of the plains as humidity values will be in the single digits by afternoon and strong southwest winds are imminent. Any fire that should start will quickly spread to the northeast due to the strong southwesterly winds. Do not do anything today which could cause a spark and ignite a fire. Red Flag Warnings are in effect for all of the plains. Accumulating snow will occur today over the San Juans and central mountains. 8 to 12 inches are likely over the San Juans while 4 to 8 inches are likely in the central mountains. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Critical fire weather conditions are likely on Friday for the eastern plains and Interstate 25 corridor with low humidities and windy weather. The threat for critical fire weather conditions continues into next week with a dry airmass over the region, and the chance for winds to exceed critical fire weather values. Snow may return to mainly the Continental Divide region on Monday and continue on Tuesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be likely over portions of the region. 34/06
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind, 1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Highway 287 shut down from Springfield to Lamar for visibility less than 1/4 due to blowing dust.
Raton Pass.
Pinon Canyon.
Alamosa Airport.
Wolf Creek Pass.
La Junta Airport.
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, March 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: 1090048, 1090041, 1090039, 1090043, 1090045, 1090038, 1090042.