Debris Flow — Rio Blanco, Colorado

2025-09-16 · near Meeker, Rio Blanco, Colorado

Event narrative

Law Enforcement reported mud over State Highway 64 near Mile Marker 65. This area is near the Lee Burn Scar, which received several rounds of heavy rain during this event. CDOT was contacted to clear the roadway.

Wider weather episode

An area of low pressure tracked to the north of the region during the day on the 16th, with an associated front draped across northeast Utah and northwest Colorado. An upper level jet streak was tracking across region during this period as well, providing some extra lift. Instability in the realm of 600-800 J/kg of CAPE was also present across this region, as well as ample moisture. All these combined to fire off strong to severe thunderstorms across northeast Utah and northwest Colorado during the afternoon hours. While this set up was not as potent as that seen during the 11th to the 13th, it was enough to cause some flash flooding and severe thunderstorm winds.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.0230, -108.1131)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1295712. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.