La Plata storm history

A 65-year-old woman was killed and her friend was injured when struck by lightning while walking in the 200 block of Silver Queen South in the Edgemont subdivision. The lightning bolt first struck a tree and moved laterally to strike the woman.

Major flooding, mud and rockslides occurred in the Animas Valley along the Colorado Highway 550 corridor between mile markers 33 and 37. Fast moving flood waters and debris flowed in excess of 6 feet deep in places. About 6 feet of debris blocked Highway 550. The highway was clos…

Heavy rain resulted in a rockslide on County Road 250 around 430 MST.

Heavy rain due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Priscilla falling between the evening of October 9th and October 11th, resulted in flooding along Vallecito Creek, which began rising around midnight on October 11th. Vallecito Creek crested at 1245 MST on October 11 to 5.99 feet a…

At 1452 MST on September 11, a trained spotter reported 1 inch diameter hail 2 miles NNW of Falfa, Colorado.

A thunderstorm wind gust of 63 mph was measured at the Durango La Plata County Airport at 825 MST.

A severe thunderstorm moved through 8 miles west of Ignacio and tracked to the northeast at 30 mph. Path and time was estimated based on the Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued. Thunderstorm wind damage occurred with downed trees, a bent electric pole and a twisted power pole. Pro…

Despite the well saturated atmosphere, other parameters contributed to the development of a strong to severe thunderstorm over southern La Plata county. In addition to heavy rainfall, this storm produced a wind gust to 63 mph at the KDRO ASOS at Durango-La Plata County Airport. N…

Despite the saturated atmospheric profile, the strong to severe storms that developed on the afternoon of August 10 that were capable of producing severe winds. The peak gust with this storm was 59 mph, recorded twice at KDRO ASOS at the Durango-La Plata County Airport. This stor…

Heavy rainfall rates from a strong thunderstorm resulted in mudslides along Highway 550 to the north of Durango, reducing traffic to one lane.

On the afternoon of the 11th, one of the storms drifting south off the San Juan mountains produced a wind gust to 60 mph over the Durango-La Plata County Airport. This gust was recorded by the KDRO ASOS at the airport. No other gusts of this magnitude were recorded, and no report…

A storm that formed near the Durango-La Plata County Airport produced heavy rainfall and strong, gusty winds as it moved through. Most recorded gusts were below severe thresholds, but one gust to 64 mph was recorded at the KDRO ASOS at 6:33 PM MDT. No reports of damages, injuries…

A severe thunderstorm moved through the Durango east area producing hail from half inch to a little over quarter size.

A peak wind gust of 66 MPH was measured by the automated weather station at the Durango-La Plata County Regional Airport due to virga showers.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated to be between 50 and 58 mph broke the branches off of several cottonwood trees at a CoCoRaHS observer's house. Additionally, a neighbors house had one of their windows damaged due to the branches being flown around.

A peak wind gust of 76 MPH was measured by the automated weather station at the Durango-La Plata County Airport.

Warm temperatures increased snowmelt and caused flooding at the Oxbow Preserve along the Animas River, which led to its closure.

Minor street flooding occurred at the intersection of Main Ave and 32nd Street in Durango as a result of heavy rain from showers. A few rocks were in the road.

Penny sized hail fell 4 miles south of Vallecito in La Plata County.

Minor debris flows occurred north of Durango off of Highway 550 as a result of heavy rain from thunderstorms.

Heavy rain from thunderstorms triggered a mudslide north of the Vallecito Marina and Yacht Club across CR 501.

A debris flow occurred on County Road 501 as a result of heavy rain from thunderstorms.

Five homes were flooded with water, mud and debris after 2 to 3 inches of rain overwhelmed the culvert system. Over a foot of water was estimated to be in a basement in a home on Lupine Drive. Homes near the intersection of Mesa Avenue and Mustang Street had 4 feet of water close…

Golf ball sized-hail accumulated 2 miles west-southwest of Bayfield. The accumulation was estimated to be 1.5 inches deep.

Hail estimated to be the size of golf balls was reported in Oxford.

Heavy rain washed out a culvert on La Plata County Road 309A near Durango-La Plata County Airport. The road was closed for several days for repair work. The Durango Airport received 1.34 inches of rain with storms that day.

County Road 310 southwest of the Durango-La Plata County Airport sustained damage from heavy rains and was temporarily closed. The extent of the damage is unknown.

Heavy rains washed out much of Shooter Lane near La Plata County Road 307 and also knocked down trees and fences along the road. The trees were 16 inches in diameter. Residents could hear Salt Creek roaring and estimated that the water was 10 feet deep compared to the normal 1 fo…

A severe thunderstorm produced large hail measured to be the size of pennies west-southwest of Durango. The hail accumulated on the ground.

A peak wind gust of 62 mph was measured by the automated weather station at the Durango-La Plata County Airport.

A severe thunderstorm produced large hail the size of quarters south of Marvel.

Thunderstorms produced heavy rain across Tripp Creek and Dyke Canyon in the southern portion of the 416 Fire burn scar. This led to several inches of mud and water that flowed down County Road 203 and into Durango North Village near Trimble Lane. Local news media reported half an…

Water with extensive debris about a foot deep flowed through the Mitchell Lakes drainage on the eastern portion of the 416 Wildfire burn scar due to heavy rainfall. Radar estimated half an inch to an inch of rain fell from a thunderstorm.

A total of 0.25 of an inch of rain fell within 15 minutes.

A small amount of mud and water was reported over County Road 203 in the vicinity of Tripp Gulch Creek. Radar estimated around a half inch of rainfall within a short period of time in that area.

A total of 0.47 inches of rain fell in 16 minutes.

A 4 to 5 foot wall of debris flowed down Tripp Creek Gulch at about 20 mph and spread out as it crossed County Road 203 and ran across the yards of several homes along Tripp Creek Road. Traffic across County Road 203 was temporarily restricted to one lane before the debris was cl…

A 4 to 5 foot wall of water and debris flowed down Tripp Creek Gulch and across the yards of several homes along Tripp Creek Road at about 20 mph and spread out as it crossed County Road 203. Traffic across County Road 203 was temporarily restricted to one lane before the debris …

Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms led to flash flooding at the KOA Campground 3.75 miles north-northeast of Hermosa. Radar estimates half an inch to an inch of rain fell with thunderstorms.

Six inches of mud flowed across County Road 250 as a result of heavy rain with thunderstorms. 1.48 inches of rain fell in about an hour. Debris also flowed across County Road 203. As a result of all the debris, these roads were closed for almost 3 hours.

Heavy rainfall resulted in flowing water over a foot deep which deposited about six inches of mud across County Road 250. Additionally, a nearby irrigation ditch breached. A storm spotter in that area measured 1.48 inches of rain within about an hour.

Heavy rainfall resulted in flash flooding and mudslides over the eastern portion of the 416 fire burn scar. Radar indicated rainfall rates of up to an inch within 15 minutes from the storms. The intense rainfall only lasted 10 to 20 minutes before flash flooding and debris flows …

A large amount of mud, tree branches, and other debris flowed through Hermosa Creek on the eastern portion of the 416 fire burn scar as a result of heavy rain from thunderstorms. At its crest the creek was running about 3 feet deeper than normal. Radar estimated half an inch to a…

Thunderstorms produced 0.91 of an inch of rain within a few hours.

Rock and other debris flowed just south of the Iron Horse Inn along and onto Highway 550 as a result of heavy rainfall. CoCoRaHS observers reported 0.70 inches of rain fell with storms near that area.

A funnel cloud that occurred just northeast of the Durango-La Plata County Airport was observed and photographed by many people.

A funnel cloud was observed by a person who said that the condensation funnel dropped down very close to the ground, but was not sure if the rotation made contact with the ground.