Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in Central Yampa River Basin, Colorado

Between the two ASOSs and one AWOS in Colorado Zone 002, a roughly 8 hour period of wind chills below 15F were recorded. About half of this period met the traditional requirements of winds at or above 10 mph and ambient temperatures below 25F. Winds ranged from 6 to 15 mph, and ambient temperatures ranged from -9F to 12F. The lowest recorded wind chill value was -29F. No reports of injuries, damages, or fatalities were received.

A cold front ushered in an arctic airmass on the evening of January 17th, as well as bringing widespread wind and snow to eastern Utah and western Colorado. This arctic airmass was reinforced over the course of the next week by several passing waves with their own associated cold fronts. Temperatures during this period were 15-20 degrees below normal, and in some places close to 30 degrees below normal. With temperatures this cold, any amount of wind would produce a dangerously cold wind chill. The coldest period of this event was January 20th to the 22nd, with temperatures finally beginning to moderate after the 23rd.