Archuleta storm history

The San Juan River reached a second crest to major flood stage that was even higher than the first in response to additional significant rainfall and locally heavier rates on October 13. This heavy rainfall was due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Raymond on top of already satur…

Significant rainfall fell across the San Juan River Basin between the evening of October 9 and October 11 due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Priscilla. This resulted in major flooding along the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs. Action stage of 9.48 feet was exceeded on October…

The Piedra River had a rapid rise in levels throughout the morning and afternoon of October 11th due to abundant rainfall starting on October 10th. It first crested to a preliminary level of 5.86 ft around midnight 10/12. A second crest occurred to a preliminary level of 7.26 ft …

Public reported flash flooding over Archuleta County Road 500/169 Trujillo Road between Arboles and Caracas. There were additional washouts reported near Arboles point, along Trujillo road about 2 miles southeast from the initial LSR location.

National Park Service employees based at Chimney Rock National Monument reported flash flooding on State Route 151 between Pagosa Springs and Arboles. Additionally, washouts and debris were reported in the Chimney Rock National Monument itself, with the LSR reading Upper road and…

At approximately 6:20 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm moved southwest of Chimney Rock National Monument, producing heavy rain and hail. This heavy rain fell on an area of very steep terrain and produced a mud flow and small rock slide across Colorado Highway 151. Aside from the roa…

Heavy rain from strong thunderstorms resulted in a rock slide across Highway 151 in an area between the intersection of Forest Service Road 618 and Highway 160. Colorado Highway 151 was closed in both directions due to the rock slide between mile markers 32 and 33.

The Piedra River overran its banks due to rapid snowmelt. This led to portions of Colorado Highway 151, south of Chimney Rock National Monument, to be flooded and closed for an extended period of time.

The Pagosa Ranger District in the San Juan National Forest reported at least three instances of flooding on Piedra Road (CR 600) north of the Turkey Springs Trailhead. The flooding was the result of rapid runoff from snowmelt.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding at mile marker 130 on Colorado Highway 160, triggering a mudslide with 6 to 8 inches of water and mud running across the highway.

Forest Service Road 660, also known as Castle Creek Road, was washed out due to flash flooding as a result of heavy rain from thunderstorms. This resulted in the Fish Creek Trailhead being inaccessible.

Several spots of mud and debris crossed Colorado Highway 160 by Capote Lake as a result of heavy rain from thunderstorms. Rainfall totals exceeded 1 inch.

Three firefighters working during the mopping up stages on the Johnny Canyon Fire east of Baldy Mountain were caught in a thunderstorm near the 9500 foot level. The thunderstorm intensified overhead with heavy rain, hail and continuous lightning. The crew decided to hunker down i…

Heavy rains led to a debris flow across sections of First Fork Road on the Pagosa Ranger District. Portions of the road were washed out. The exact time of the slide is unknown and was estimated based on surrounding observations.

The automated weather station at the Stevens Field Airport in Pagosa Springs recorded a peak wind gust of 59 MPH from a severe thunderstorm.

Within 30 minutes, 0.70 inches of rain fell.

A mudslide occurred along Colorado Highway 160 at mile marker 124 as a result of heavy rain. Vehicles were stuck in deep mud with traffic backed up on either side of the highway. The highway was closed in both directions for almost 4 hours with about 100 vehicles backed up on eit…

A minor debris flow occurred over Colorado Highway 151 at mile marker 28 as a result of heavy rain. Radar estimates showed half an inch to an inch of rain fell within an hour in that area.

Within 15 minutes, 0.64 of an inch of rain fell at a location 10 miles southeast of Pagosa Springs.

Lightning struck the Oak Brush communications site and damaged law enforcement communications equipment.

A three-hour rainfall event produced 0.65 of an inch of rain and pea-sized hail.

Quarter-sized hail was observed at Stevens Field Airport.

Hundreds of trees were blown down by thunderstorm outflow winds in the San Juan National Forest, including a large area near County Road 302 in eastern Archuleta County. Live trees up to 3 feet in diameter were snapped off like toothpicks.

Golfball sized hail was reported by several members of the public just east of Pagosa Springs in a sparsely populated location. Some damage occurred to vehicles.

Damage occurred to County Road 500 that was washed out between mile markers 20 and 30 due to a flash flood. The flooding was isolated and included a significant debris flow.

A rainfall total of 1.26 inches fell within a two hour period, with most of the precipitation having occurred in less than one hour.

Heavy rainfall resulted in flash flooding within various locations in and near Pagosa Springs. Flowing water about 18 inches deep ran across Highway 160 about a half mile east of the junction with Highway 84. A stream which comes down to Rumbaugh Road in northeast Pagosa Springs …

Large hail was reported and photographed by a person who also reported some graupel, wet snow and a little rain from the same storm cell.

Strong thunderstorm outflow winds flipped over two trailers, a flat bed trailer and a utility trailer, as well as some mature pine trees in the vicinity of Stevens Field Airport near Pagosa Springs. The AWOS at the airport measured gusts to 58 mph. There were no known eyewitnesse…

Heavy rainfall rates of over an inch per hour were reported in Pagosa Springs which created localized flooding. A number of reports were received of water in homes and stores, and many roads were reported as being covered by standing water.

Thunderstorm wind gusts toppled a tree near Pagosa Springs, damaging the roof of a house.

Heavy rainfall caused a minor mudslide across Highway 160 just north of Pagosa Springs. The slide was about 6 to 8 feet wide and up to two and a half feet deep at its deepest sections. Rainfall amounts up to 0.50 inches within a 20 minute time period were reported just west of Pa…

Stollsteimer Creek ran out of its banks in some places within the Aspen Springs subdivision west of Pagosa Springs, which inundated some foot bridges and flooded a trailer that was flooded. A portion of County Road 359 was also washed out due to flowing water exceeding the capaci…

Two simultaneous funnel clouds were observed by many eyewitnesses in eastern Archuleta County.

Lightning struck a power supply and left about 550 customers without power for several hours. Electrical crews had to use a backhoe to get at equipment damaged by the strike.

Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding along the Rio Blanco River. Water up to 6 inches deep flowed across County Road 326. Big boulders were being moved by the water along with mud and other debris.