Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin, Colorado

Between the KMTJ ASOS in Montrose and the KAJZ AWOS in Delta, an over 24 hour period of temperatures below 25F and wind chill values below 15F was recorded. Winds were at or above 10 mph for a substantial portion of the period, but even those periods that saw winds weaker than 10 mph saw wind chill values sufficiently cold to warrant being included. Temperatures ranged from -2F to 25F, and winds ranged from 6 mph to 32 mph. The coldest wind chill value recorded was -21F. 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.