The Currant Creek Fire started in late July due to unknown causes 5 miles northwest of Cedaredge, Colorado.
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The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.
The Currant Creek Fire started in late July due to unknown causes 5 miles northwest of Cedaredge, Colorado.
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 Jul 31, 10:07 PM MST, 1 hour 53 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1107 PM MDT Wed Jul 31 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Hot and dry conditions remain in place with lighter winds expected through the end of the week. - Moisture increases heading into the weekend with shower and thunderstorm chances rising from Saturday into Sunday and becoming fairly widespread early next week. - The return of lightning is likely to result in additional fire starts this weekend. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 352 PM MDT Wed Jul 31 2024 The airmass over the region remained unusually dry, though a small increase in moisture was noted in the 12Z/GJT sounding. Flow aloft over the area was from the west in response to the mid-level short wave trough which moved over the northern Rockies earlier in the day. Nothing but dry air upstream so not expecting showers/thunderstorms anywhere in the forecast area through sunset, and definitely not during the overnight hours. As the short wave moves farther over the Plains tonight, flow aloft veers to the south and southwest and begins to lift moisture pooled over western New Mexico and eastern Arizona northward to just south of the forecast area. Then on Thursday, mid-level high pressure expands northwestward across the area causing flow aloft to reverse across the southern zones preventing moisture from infiltrating much beyond the southern borders of Utah and Colorado. Consequently, except for some isolated to low-end scattered showers/thunderstorms over the San Juan Mountains along the edge of the Continental Divide Thursday afternoon/early evening, dry and hot conditions will continue. Highs will run around 5 degrees or higher above normal with near record warmth for some locations. Showers/thunderstorms over the San Juans will dissipate by sunset Thursday evening with skies clearing shortly after. Overnight lows tonight will be near normal as the dry air does little to hamper the outflow of long wave radiation from the surface. Thursday nights lows, on the other hand, should be a bit milder as moisture begins to filter into the region. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 352 PM MDT Wed Jul 31 2024 The high lifts northward over the area Friday and Saturday which will allow moisture to expand north and eastward. As a result, expect showers and thunderstorms will become fairly widespread over the San Juan Mountains Friday and Saturday with more scattered coverage over the southeast Utah mountains on Saturday. Meanwhile, moisture will also be moving northward over the Great Basin and western Utah from Friday into Saturday. As the high is forced east of the Continental Divide by a short wave trough moving northeastward over the Pacific Northwest on Saturday night, the moisture over Utah is carried eastward and into the forecast area. As result, showers and thunderstorms will spread into the northern portion of the forecast area and moist convection will become fairly widespread. High pressure spreads back overhead early next week and with little advection indicated in any direction, the moisture which arrives Sunday will continue to fuel showers/thunderstorms early next week. Precipitable water levels range from around an inch over the southernmost zones to near 0.75" in the north, so some potential for localized excessive rainfall. Meanwhile, temperatures will remain at near record levels Friday and Saturday before trending downward Sunday and beyond. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1105 PM MDT Wed Jul 31 2024 VFR conditions and generally light terrain-driven winds are expected through the taf period. Some clouds may build in the across the south and wind gusts upwards of 20-25 mph are possible in the afternoon. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...None. UT...None. && SHORT TERM...NL LONG TERM...NL AVIATION...TGJT
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 313 AM MDT Wed Jul 31 2024 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-011100- 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- 313 AM MDT Wed Jul 31 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for eastern Utah and western Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Monsoonal moisture starts moving into the region towards the end of the week. Showers and storms are looking more likely for the weekend and into next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Currant Creek Fire started in late July due to unknown causes 5 miles northwest of Cedaredge, Colorado. The fire grew to 193 acres before it was contained in early August. The estimated final cost was $5 million.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, August 2024
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: 1204449.