Frost/Freeze — Debeque To Silt Corridor, Colorado

2025-04-18 to 2025-04-19 · Debeque To Silt Corridor, Colorado

Event narrative

The coldest temperature recorded at the KRIL ASOS at Garfield County Regional Airport was 30F, while the coldest temperature recorded at any of the 8 available sensors was 27F. A total of 5 out of the 8 available sensors recorded at least 3 hours of temperatures at or below 32F, with an average of 4 hours, a maximum of 10 hours, and a minimum of 0 hours. These sensors averaged less than 1 hour at or below 28F, disqualifying it as a hard freeze event. The maximum period at or below 28F was 3 hours exactly, meaning that a few locations likely experienced localized hard freeze conditions. No reports of crop damages or losses were received.

Wider weather episode

By the middle of April, most lower elevation forecast zones had hit the 50 growing degree day thresholds, meaning that the growing season was well underway. Much of this was due to a period of above normal temperatures the week prior. However, a strong spring storm with a potent cold front moved through the area from the 17th to the 18th, bringing in much colder air. As skies cleared and winds dropped on the night of the 18th into the morning of the 19th, temperatures began to plummet across the region.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1257600. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.