Flash Flood — Carbon, Wyoming

2011-07-19 · near Ryan Park, Carbon, Wyoming

Event narrative

Thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across the Snowy Range and Brush Creek area on State Highway 130 between 9 pm and midnight on July 18. Debris carried down Brush Creek by runoff from the heavy rainfall clogged the drainage culvert at milepost 55.8 on State Highway 130, about 13 miles east of the junction with State Highway 230. As a result, water washed away the pavement around the culvert and created a 25-foot wide, 9-foot deep trench in the road just before 1 am on July 19. Four members of a Colorado Springs family died after their van drove into the washout and was swept downstream by the raging creek as they fled flash flooding at a nearby campground shortly after 1 am. The driver of the van managed to escape from the van, which was submerged to its rooftop. Minutes later, the Carbon County emergency manager who responded to the flash flooding, drove his vehicle into the same washout and plunged into the creek. Firefighters rescued both drivers about two hours later, and were transported to a hospital in Rawlins. Both men were treated for their injuries and later released. After floodwaters receded, State Highway 130 between mileposts 36 and 68 was closed for repairs.

Wider weather episode

Debris carried down by runoff from heavy rainfall clogged a drainage culvert on a small section of Highway 130, resulting in the water washing away the pavement around the culvert shortly after midnight on July 19. Four fatalities occurred when one vehicle drove into the washout, with its driver escaping injury. A emergency vehicle also drove into the washout, but the driver was able to escape.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.3498, -106.5315)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 317528. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.