Dust Storm in Colorado

Events

64

Deaths

1

Injuries

31

Damage

$300,000

• Dust Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 12 to 15, 20211 death · 93 kt wind · 146 eventsA potent upper level system and surface low approached the region late in the day on the 14th, and then lifted across Colorado during the day on the 15th.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, January 13 to 15, 20211 death · 101 kt wind · 18 eventsA widespread high wind event occurred, as a powerful cold front rolled through the Interior Northwest and northern Rockies before reaching the Midwest. Strong and damaging winds developed across north central and northeast Colorado.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, April 18, 20041 death · 59 kt wind · 3 eventsAn intense low pressure area over the Northern Plains and a strong mid-level jetstream combined to produce a widespread high wind and blowing dirt event across eastern Colorado, western Kansas and parts of SW Nebraska.
• Dust Storm in Colorado, April 7, 200219 injured · 1 eventNorth winds gusting to near 50 mph in the desert north of Grand Junction created a duststorm which reduced visibility to zero as it crossed Interstate 70. The resulting 30-car pileup injured 19 motorists and passengers, but none seriously.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, September 30, 20095 injured · $80,000 · 53 kt wind · 2 eventsStrong gradient southwest winds developed during the morning and continued through early evening over parts of east central Colorado and northwest Kansas. A wind gust of 61 mph was reported in Cheyenne county with gusts of 45 to 55 mph in Kit Carson and Yuma counties.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Colorado, December 15, 2021$200,000 · 96 kt wind · 7 eventsDuring the morning to early afternoon hours, an intense low pressure system moved away from the Colorado Front Range and across Eastern Colorado. This system was responsible for generating two rounds of high winds.
• Dust Storm in Colorado, April 29, 2014$200,000 · 2 eventsA third day of high winds occurred as a slow-moving but intense weather system moved over the Central High Plains. Peak winds of 55 to 65 mph occurred during the morning, resulting in reduced visibility in blowing dirt at some locations across eastern Colorado.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, December 22 to 23, 20207 injured · 65 kt wind · 5 eventsThe east-central portion of Colorado saw non-thunderstorm high sustained winds and gusts associated with a cold front beginning in the afternoon hours of December 22nd that continued until the afternoon hours of December 23rd.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, December 1 to 2, 202291 kt wind · 35 eventsA dangerous wind event occurred during this period, affecting much south central and southeast Colorado. While most of the higher terrain was impacted, these stronger winds did impact much of the southern I-25 corridor and plains.
• Dust Storm and Hail in Colorado, May 14, 2025$20,000 · 1 in hail · 18 eventsScattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed/moved east into East Central Colorado during the early evening. The main threat with these storms was straight-line wind gusts, with the highest reported gust being 67 MPH reported north of Clarkville.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Colorado, April 22, 2022$33,000 · 78 kt wind · 6 eventsA significant weather system impacted the High Plains throughout the day on April 22nd and into the early morning hours of April 23rd.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, September 23, 2013$25,000 · 62 kt wind · 3 eventsA vigorous upper low pressure system moved across the region during the day. Behind the system, strong winds aloft mixed down to the surface with wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph producing localized dust storms, vehicle accidents and road closures.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, October 11, 202065 kt wind · 15 eventsA cold front moved south across the region during the late afternoon and evening, providing a period of high northerly winds to southern Colorado. Multiple wind gust reports in excess of 60 mph were noted, that helped develop a dust storm, or haboob.
• Dust Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 14 to 15, 202666 kt wind · 14 eventsCloser to the middle of the month, an upper level jet maximum passed by a bit north of our forecast area. This produced some stronger, damaging wind gusts and brief moderate snowfall across portions of SE Colorado.
• Dust Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 13 to 15, 202576 kt wind · 12 eventsA deep upper trough passed through the region near the middle of March. This allowed for sufficient lift to drop some quick, heavy mountain snow out west. Meanwhile, strong winds descended the mountain slopes and spread across the eastern plains.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, April 12, 2022$14,000 · 53 kt wind · 3 eventsA strong upper level disturbance moved over Eastern Colorado. A corridor of high winds from the upper level disturbance reached the ground over Kit Carson and Cheyenne counties. The highest reported wind gust was 61 MPH in Kit Carson County.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Colorado, April 17, 201868 kt wind · 8 eventsA strong cold front brought high winds, blowing dust, and a wildfire to Eastern Colorado. The high winds led to some wind damage across the area. In addition, the winds caused widespread blowing dust. Finally, at least one fire was noted in Eastern Colorado.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, December 2, 202259 kt wind · 8 eventsIn the latter half of the morning on December 2nd, strong, dry southwesterly winds began picking up dirt and dust in Eastern Colorado and Western Kansas.
• Tornadoes and Dust Storm in Colorado, June 2, 202051 kt wind · 7 eventsDuring the afternoon several weak landspout tornadoes were reported from slow moving storms in northern Cheyenne County. No damage was reported from these landspouts.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, March 30, 202366 kt wind · 7 eventsA 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.
• Dust Storm and Damaging Winds in Colorado, March 14, 202574 kt wind · 7 eventsDuring the morning of the 14th, northwesterly winds began speeding up as a cold front moved across the region from the northwest to the east. Eastern Colorado saw winds up to 85 MPH that lofted dust, causing visibilities to drop to around 200 feet in Cheyenne county. U.S.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, October 11, 202063 kt wind · 6 eventsA strong southeastward cold front produced high winds sustained at 20-50 mph with gusts ranging from 50 to 72 mph. These high winds produced blowing dust with visibilities reduced to approximately 100 yards across eastern Colorado.
• Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, April 7, 202257 kt wind · 6 eventsThe weather pattern changed little from the previous day of high winds and blowing dust. The upper level disturbance continued to slide northeast over the Upper Midwest. High winds rounding the backside of the disturbance were able to reach the ground over East Central Colorado.
• Wildfire and Dust Storm in Colorado, April 6, 2022$7,000 · 61 kt wind · 6 eventsDuring the day a strong upper level disturbance centered over the upper Midwest caused wind gusts up to 70 MPH to occur over East Central Colorado. The highest wind gust occurred in Cheyenne County.
• Dust Storm and Hail in Colorado, May 5, 202385 kt wind · 6 eventsA severe thunderstorm produced intense winds in the vicinities of Haxtun, Holyoke and Pleasant Valley with gusts ranging from 75 to 98 mph. Also, hail up to nickel size was observed north of Haxtun.

Dust Storm everywhereEvery kind of event in Colorado

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.