Frost/Freeze in Animas River Basin, Colorado

The KDRO ASOS at the Durango-La Plata County Airport was 28F, while the minimum recorded at any of the available 17 sensors was 15F. A total of 15 out of the available 17 sensors recorded temperatures at or below 32F for at least 3 hours, with an average duration of 5 hours. The maximum duration was 8 hours while the minimum was 0. This event, therefore, qualifies as a freeze event. Temperatures at or below 28F were recorded for an, on average, 2 hours, which is below the 3 hour minimum required to qualify as a hard freeze event. However, the maximum duration of temperatures at or below 28F was 6 hours, meaning that localized hard freeze conditions were experienced in the zone. No reports of crop damages or losses were received.

While other areas of western Colorado and eastern Utah had begun to see temperatures rebound, both during the day and over night, the southwestern Colorado valleys remained cold. In particular, La Plata county and some of the surrounding areas saw one last night of widespread freeze conditions thanks to the good radiational cooling conditions experienced.