High Wind — Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus, Colorado

2024-05-05 to 2024-05-07 · Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus, Colorado

Event narrative

Gusts ranged from 45 mph to 85 mph across the zone, with a peak recorded gust of 84 mph recorded at the Colorado Department of Transportation Mesonet site 139s034 Douglas Pass during the late morning on the 5th. This mesonet station recorded all four gusts over 75 mph, which all occurred on the 5th. Additional gusts under threshold but above 45 mph occurred with the cold front passage on the 7th, and a questionable wind gust to 141 mph at the Douglas Pass mesonet was recorded on the 6th.

Wider weather episode

As an unseasonably strong Pacific trough moved inland in the days leading up to this wind event, the pressure gradient ahead of it began to tighten. An accompanying deep layer jet streak brought an additional boost to winds ahead of this trough. Although the winds began early on the morning of the 5th, they lasted through the cold front passage on the 7th, particularly at higher elevations. Multiple wind highlights, with a combination of High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories, were in effect for this event.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1181483. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.