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Lightning in Summit County, Colorado

Lightning July 18, 2011 · Summit County, Colorado

$15K
Damage as recorded

Where the report was made, with tornadoes recorded within 15 miles over the years.

What the National Weather Service wrote

Lightning struck a church.

The wider storm

Thunderstorms produced very heavy rain and continuous lightning over Summit County. The historic rainstorm in the town of Breckenridge produced 3.17 inches of rain at local weather station, most of the rain fell in less than 3 hours. A cooperative observer with the National Weather Service also recorded 3.59 inches of rainfall in east Breckenridge. The highest recorded 24-hr rainfall prior to this event occurred in the early 1890s when 2.6 inches was observed. Nearly 3,900 cloud to ground lightning strikes were also recorded during the 3-hr span. The steeple of the Father Dyer Church in Breckenridge sustained a direct hit from one of those strikes, damaging the historic structure.

The heavy rainfall produced a large landslide a few miles above Dillon where a section of treeline collapsed. Large amounts of sediment partially covered a section of Straight Creek, which is the main water supply to thousands in the area. In addition, mudslides closed a portion of State Highway 9 north of Dillon, and Airport Road in Breckenridge. Extensive flooding also forced the closure of Breckenridge Golf Course for several days.

Began near Breckenridge (39.4800, -106.0300).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 338826. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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