Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in Elkhead and Park Mountains, Colorado

The STORM mesonet station at Storm Peak Lab reported over 24 hours of winds at or above 10 mph and temperatures at or below 25F, resulting in wind chill values below 15F. Temperatures ranged from -13F to 3F, and winds ranged from 8 mph to 38 mph. The lowest wind chill recorded was -39F. 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.