High Wind in West Elk and Sawatch Mountains, Colorado

The peak gust to 87 mph was recorded at the KMYP AWOS on Monarch Pass at 3:15 AM MST 2/17. Additional gusts recorded at this sensor were to 72 mph at 5:55 AM MST 2/17, and to 86 mph at 11:55 AM MST 2/17. Gusts at other sensors across the region ranged from 45 mph to 71 mph during the period of highest winds. No reports of damages, injuries, or fatalities related to this wind event were received.

In the days leading up to this event, a strong trough made landfall along the West Coast of the US. Ahead of this system, unusually warm and dry conditions prevailed as high pressure dominated the Intermountain West. The trough began to track inland on the 15th into the 16th, but the high pressure was reluctant to shift east. This led to a tightening up of the pressure gradient between these two features, enhancing an already strong southwesterly upper level jet. Lift began to increase ahead of the trough on the evening of the 16th, with mountain rain and snow showers breaking out over the higher terrain of eastern Utah and western Colorado. This also helped to keep deep mixing ongoing well after sunset, resulting in some of the peak winds occurring between midnight and daybreak on the 17th. In addition, a potent cold front was associated with this system, and was expected to sweep through eastern Utah and western Colorado around daybreak. Ahead of the cold front, the surface pressure gradient tightened substantially and surface winds maxed out. This coincided with the period between midnight and daybreak on the 17th.