High Wind in Upper Yampa River Basin, Colorado

The Steamboat Springs mesonet site recorded a gust to 79 mph at 9:14 PM MST. Earlier in the period, the KSBS AWOS recorded a gust to 67 mph, while other gusts across the region ranged from 45 mph to 60 mph throughout the period. No reports of injuries, fatalities, or damages, were received.

A strong winter storm approached eastern Utah and western Colorado from the west, bringing a shot of colder air along with it. Ahead of this system, high pressure had brought a much warmer airmass. Between these two systems, and along and ahead of the approaching cold front, the surface pressure gradient began to tighten. Deep mixing ahead of the front also helped to bring down higher momentum air from the strong, 170 knot upper level jet. All together, this resulted in widespread strong, gusty winds across much of eastern Utah and western Colorado.