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

The KSBS AWOS recorded a roughly 3.5 hour period of wind chills below 15F and temperatures at or below 25F. Winds were not consistently at or above 10 mph, but the resulting wind chills were still cold enough to warrant recording. Temperatures ranged from 13F to 17F, and winds ranged from 6 mph to 10 mph. The coldest wind chill recorded was 4F. 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.