High Wind — Grand Valley, Colorado

2022-05-11 · Grand Valley, Colorado

Event narrative

A man indirectly died from injuries that were sustained when he was cutting down a tree in gusty winds.

Wider weather episode

A strong area of low pressure lifted over the Great Basin and caused the pressure gradient to tighten over western Colorado. The presence of a strong jet aloft and deep mixing resulted in widespread wind gusts of 40 to 55 mph. Several areas directly under the jet saw gusts that exceeded 58 mph in the valley and 75 mph in the mountains, which met high wind criteria. Blowing dust was also a concern in southwest Colorado.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1014910. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.