High Wind — Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet, Colorado

1996-10-29 · Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet, Colorado

Wider weather episode

High winds gusting from 70 to around 100 mph blasted across much of Northeast Colorado. The high winds were the result of a strong upper level jet ejecting out of the desert southwest and the development of a vigorous surface low in the Northeast Plains.One man was killed when a strong wind gust overturned a popup camper on him as he tried to secure it. In addition, five people at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility received minor injuries when several windshields were blown out, spraying glass onto them.Several trees and power lines were also downed. A condominium in Fort Collins was damaged by a falling tree and two 75-ft pine trees were uprooted at the Mount Olivet Cemetary in Arvada, northwest of Denver. Total damage estimates to property around Northeast Colorado was approximately $5.2 million.A few of the stronger gusts included: 101 mph (88 kts) at Jefferson County Airport, 100 mph (87 kts) 1 mile east of Buckhorn Mountain and Golden Gate Canyon, 96 mph (83 kts) at Coal Creek Canyon, 95 mph (83 kts) at Carter Lake, 87 mph (76 kts) at Upper Table Mesa in Boulder, 86 mph (76 kts) at Crook, 76 mph (66 kts) at Akron, 75 mph (65 kts) at Fort Morgan and Sedgewick and 70 mph (61 kts) 4 miles east of Haxtun.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5572577. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.