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

Between the two ASOSs, KEEO in Meeker and KCAG in Craig, and the KHDN AWOS in Hayden, a 32 hour period of wind chills meeting criteria was recorded. The longest continuous period was recorded at KHDN, where from 6:30PM on the 20th to 7:30PM on the 21st, some of the coldest wind chills of the period were recorded. KEEO and KCAG reported more dispersed periods of meeting wind chill criteria during this period. Temperatures were cold enough that even a slight breeze caused substantially cold wind chills, so even though some periods did not meet the 10 mph or greater wind speed requirement, they were counted. Ambient air temperatures ranged from -24F to 25F during this period, and winds ranged from 6 mph to 21 mph. The coldest wind chill value recorded was -42F at KCAG, although a -40F value was recorded at KHDN as well. No reports of injuries, damages, or fatalities were recorded.

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.