High Wind in Kit Carson County, Colorado

An intense low pressure area over the Northern Plains and a strong mid-level jetstream combined to produce a widespread high wind and blowing dirt event across eastern Colorado, western Kansas and parts of SW Nebraska. Wind gusts of 50 to 65 mph were common from late morning through the afternoon hours causing reduced visibility in blowing dirt. A 17 car pileup occurred on Interstate 70 at the Kansas-Colorado border resulting in numerous injuries and one fatality. A 68 mph wind gust was reported 9 miles NNE of Kit Carson with zero visibility in blowing dirt. Other parts of Cheyenne and Kit Carson counties suffered minor tree and fence and zero visibility at times.