Debris Flow in Mesa County, Colorado
Debris Flow May 25, 2014 · Mesa County, Colorado
Where the report was made, with tornadoes recorded within 15 miles over the years.
What the National Weather Service wrote
A landslide consisting of about 30 million cubic meters of rock and soil broke loose from the side of the Grand Mesa near the 10,000 foot level and traveled nearly 3 miles down the West Salt Creek drainage. Three ranchers were apparently buried by the landslide which deposited debris over 100 feet deep along the slide path. This was one of the largest landslides ever documented in the United States. This landslide occurred during the period of peak snowmelt and just after heavy rainfall occurred in the area. Radar estimates and nearby rain gauge measurements for the 36 hour period prior to the landslide were around one inch.
The wider storm
During the peak of snowmelt on the Grand Mesa was a period of heavy rainfall which may have combined to precipitate a massive landslide on the north side of the Grand Mesa.
Began near Plateau City (39.1653, -107.8436).
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 524482. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.
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