Debris Flow — San Juan, Colorado

2021-07-17 · near Silverton, San Juan, Colorado

Event narrative

A debris flow occurred as a result of heavy rain over Ophir Pass in the Southwest San Juan Mountains. Social media footage showed a combination of rock and mud across the pass with cars having to turn around as a result of the debris flow.

Wider weather episode

Monsoonal moisture was once again advected into southwest Colorado as the area of high pressure drifted north. This abundance of moisture combined with weak instability to fuel scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms over the southern mountains. Some storms produced heavy rain which led to localized debris flows across portions of the Southwest San Juans.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.8506, -107.7795)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 961526. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.