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Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
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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 5, 10:48 AM MST, 29 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1048 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 435 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 Key messages: 1) A windy to very windy day across the forecast area. 2) RED FLAG conditions near certain over the plains today. Currently... Skies were mostly clear across the region at 2AM, but temperatures showed some dramatic differences over the area, especially the plains. In a nutshell, where the wind is blowing over the plains, it is quite warm (temps in the 40s to around 50F), where where the winds was NOT blowing, it was cool, with temps in teh 20s to around 30F. This difference was so well defined, it was being distinguished in the 11.2 UM IR imagery. Over the mtns and valleys, temps showed much less variability, as readings were in the 30s valleys and 10s and 20s mtns. Obs across the fcst area showed the winds were already blowing, and many areas were gusting in the 30s to 50s mph range, with the strongest flow being noted over the southern I-25 corridor region, although winds were rather strong over the eastern plains was KLAA was over 40 mph at 2 AM. With the strong winds over the southern I- 25 corridor, the RH values were already quite low, and Walsenburg was already reporting RED FLAG conditions during this early morning hour. Today... As has been advertised for several days, it is going to be a windy day over the entire region. All areas will see wind, although the far eastern plains will the least amount of wind. The strongest winds on the plains will be over the southern I-25 corridor region, and gusts over 60 are likely. Nearly all of the mtns and valleys will also see strong winds today. Red Flag conditons are near certain over all of the plains, with the most extreme values over the southern I-25 corridor region. Besides the wind, it will be a mild day with all of the compressional warming today, and temps will range in the 50s to m60s along the mtns/plains interface wile out east temps will be around 70F. The SLV will see readings in the M/U40s while the mtns will be in the 20s and 30s. Some light wind driven snow will occur across the central mtns, the the best chance the farther north you go. Tonight... A cold front will push down the plains, and this will kill off the strong westerlies over most of the plains by later this evening, Winds will keep up in the mtns and southern I-25 corridor region, but will decrease over this region as the cool air slowly pushes westward during the early morning hours. Dry conditions are near certain over nearly all of the fcst area, with the exception continuing to be over the central mtns, especially those areas north of Cottonwood Pass. \/Hodanish .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 435 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 Key Messages: 1) Moderate to strong westerly flow continues through mid week bringing cool surges across the southeast Plains and continued precipitation chances to the ContDvd. 2) Potential for more widespread precipitation later in the work week? Monday-Tuesday...Strong westerly flow aloft across the Rockies moderates Sunday night and early Monday as an embedded short wave continues to translate across the Northern High Plains. West southwest flow aloft then progged to increase again through the day Monday and Monday night, as another embedded short wave translates across the Northern Rockies and out across the High Plains on Tuesday. The first passing wave sends a weak front across the eastern plains Monday morning, which looks to stall along the southern tier of Colorado and slowly lift north, possibly as far north as the Highway 50 Corridor Monday afternoon, before a second surge of cool air pushes south and west across all of the southeast plains Monday night and Tuesday morning. The first surge across the Plains on Monday looks to cool temperatures back to around seasonal levels with generally weak low level upslope. However, higher res model data continues to suggest the front pushing north through the day, leading to the potential for breezy westerly winds and critical fire weather conditions to develop across portions of the southern I-25 Corridor later in the afternoon. With models usually too aggressive with lifting the shallow cool airmass, will not issue any fire weather highlights at this time. Latest model data does indicate stratus likely filling in across the Plains Monday night behind the second surge of cool air. With low level east to southeast upslope developing behind this surge, model data does indicate the potential for light drizzle/freezing drizzle across portions of the plains, especially in Pikes Peak region, late Monday night into Tuesday morning. With expected clouds and low level upslope flow, lowered NBM temperatures across the plains on Tuesday, though may still be too warm if stratus persists throughout the day. Further west, continued breezy to windy conditions over the higher terrain and chances of snow across the ContDvd, generally across the Northern and Central Mtns, with temperatures staying at or above seasonal levels. Wednesday-Friday...There remains a lower confidence in the forecast from the middle to the end of the work, as models continue to differ on the strength and location of a large upper trough developing across West Coast on Wednesday, and then translating across the region Thursday and Friday. The latest iteration of the EC model suite remains the most progressive and furthest north with said system, which would keep the region mainly dry, warm and windy. The GFS suite is more progressive than yesterday's runs, though still cuts off energy across the Rockies, which leads to cooler temperatures and better chances of precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado Wednesday and Thursday. The Canadian suite of products are closer to EC, however is deeper with the trough and sends a stronger cold front across the region on Thursday. With that said, have stayed with NBM data through this period, which brings the best chances of precipitation to region Wednesday night and Thursday, though keeps temperatures at to slightly above seasonal levels. Saturday-Sunday...Moderate to strong westerly flow looks to develop and persist across region once again through into next weekend, leading to temperatures at to above seasonal levels, and continued chances of precipitation across the ContDvd. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Monday afternoon) Issued at 1047 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 VFR conditions are expected to prevail for all TAF sites (KALS, KCOS, and KPUB) throughout the forecast period. Winds will be synoptically influenced at all terminals. They are currently very strong and gusty out of the SW, especially at KALS and KPUB where gusts could occasionally reach 50 kts, which could produce occasional BLDU on station at either of these terminals. If this does occur, it could temporarily bring down VIS to 2SM. These winds will begin to weaken after approximately 00Z at KALS and 23Z at KPUB, at which time any BLDU should cease. Winds will begin to shift more to the SSW at KALS and then back to the SW again, becoming gusty after 15Z and through the forecast period. At KCOS and KPUB, they will come around to the NNE and NE, and eventually SE and SSE respectively, towards the end of the forecast period. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 7 PM MST this evening for COZ060-061- 069>073-078>080-086. High Wind Warning until 8 AM MST Monday for COZ074-075-087-088. Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MST this evening for COZ226>237. && SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...MW AVIATION...STEWARD
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 440 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 COZ058>089-093>099-061145- 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- 440 AM MST Sun Mar 5 2023 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong winds are near certain across a good part of southeast and south central colorado today. Widespread wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph are likely, with stronger wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph likely across the mountains and southern I-25 corridor region. The least amount of wind today will occur over the far eastern plains, were winds of 20 to 40 mph are likely. Over the plains, the strong winds will combine with low humidity values to produce meteorological conditions for extreme fire behavior, and for this reason a RED FLAG warning is in effect for all of the plains today. Light vehicles and high profile vehicle will have a very difficult time today across the entire region, especially on north-south roadways. Please do NOT BURN TODAY. Do NOT do any activity which could produce a spark and ignite a fire. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Moderate to strong westerly flow will continue into middle of the work week, keeping chances for snow across the Continental Divide, as well as breezy to windy conditions over and near the higher terrain, with the chance of more widespread precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado later in the work week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be likely over portions of the region. 34/23
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trinidad Airport.
Alamosa 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: 1090010, 1090006, 1090007, 1090011, 1090009, 1090012, 1090004.