Colorado
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Kit Carson
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Bethune
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August 13, 2019
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Hail
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Record size hail for Colorado.
"Severe thunderstorms formed across eastern Colorado the afternoon of August 13, 2019. Several grew in strength and became supercells and by 2 PM several supercells began to interact with one another in northwestern Kit Carson County. At around 3 PM, the strongest of the storms generated hail to about 5" in diameter that fell on a farm northwest of the town of Bethune. This ended up being the largest hailstone officially analyzed and recorded in the state of Colorado. Amazingly, just two days prior and about 60 miles northwest of the record breaking hail, another supercell dropped grapefruit size hail with reports up of 5" diameter, but no hailstones were officially measured nor saved for later analysis from that event. The record breaking hailstorm occurred just outside NWS Boulder's area of responsibility, in western Kit Carson County, CO. NWS Goodland has a great write up of the hailstone, hail damage, and subsequent certification of the largest stone officially measured and validated in the state of Colorado, at 4.83" diameter. Please visit the NWS Goodland page for those details. https://www.weather.gov/gld/8132019CORecordHailstone" - National Weather Service
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Wyoming
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Carbon
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Arlington
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October 19, 2019
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Winter Storm, High Wind
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1
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"On October 19, 2019, a deepening low pressure system and frontal boundary moved across the region producing widespread high winds across southeastern Wyoming with light snowfall while in Carbon County blizzard conditions were reported by Arlington stopping traffic for a period of time. Heavy snow was reported in the mountain ranges in the area with close to two feet in the highest spots of the Snowy Range heavy snow accumulations were estimated by several area sensors including the Blackhall Mountain with 16.5 inches of snowfall and the Webber Springs with 12.0 inches. A huntsman went missing during the snowstorm prompting area search and rescue, cadaver dogs and civil air patrols in hopes of finding and recovering the individual. After a week of searching, the Carbon County Sheriff's Office suspended the operations. Given that the individual has not been recovered, a proper autopsy to determine likely cause of death remains unknown though given the winter elements of wind, snow and subsequent freezing temperatures, assumption will be made to declare the fatality as direct." - WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021-2026
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Utah
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Emery
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Green River
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May 11, 2020
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Flood
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2
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"A tragic end followed a Mother’s Day weekend camping trip as the bodies of two young sisters were recovered after being swept away in a flash flood in a narrow slot canyon near Goblin Valley State Park." - Deseret News
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Colorado, Utah
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May 19, 2020
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Drought
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In May 2020, extreme drought started in south CO. Over the course of the summer, the south and entire west of the state are affected by extreme drought. In July 2020, pockets of extreme drought start to develop in central UT as well as in central WY. In September, almost all of UT is affected by extreme drought, with pockets of exceptional drought forming. Pockets of exceptional drought form in west CO. In October 2020, pockets of extreme drought also start forming in east CO. Large areas of UT are affected by exceptional drought in October, and in December, almost the entire state is experiencing exceptional drought. In May 2021, the extreme drought areas in WY have disappeared. In November 2021, drought in CO is mostly resolved to non-extreme levels. In December 2021, UT is still experiencing extreme drought in most of the state.
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Colorado, Utah, Wyoming
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June 06, 2020
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High Wind
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"A powerful upper-level disturbance moving through the Rockies and Plains on June 6, 2020 sparked the development of a line of thunderstorms that brought widespread damaging winds from Utah and Colorado through northeastern Wyoming, western South Dakota, and southwestern North Dakota. Given the scope and intensity of the damaging winds, the storm system was classified as a "derecho" by the Storm Prediction Center.
Derechos are characterized by a several hundred mile-long swath of persistent severe wind gusts (58 mph or greater), with embedded wind gusts that are considered significantly severe (75 mph or greater). There is more information about derechos here." - National Weather Service
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Colorado
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Mesa
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Grand Junction
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July 31, 2020
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Wildfire
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$38,398,900.00
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$34,000,000.00
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"The Pine Gulch Fire was started by a lightning strike on July 31, 2020, approximately 18 miles north of Grand Junction, Colorado. Initial Attack resources were unable to corral this remote wildfire as it spread rapidly through grass, sage, pinyon juniper and fir. The combination of drought-stressed vegetation, unseasonably hot weather and steep terrain led to weeks of active burning. Smoke columns were often visible from Grand Junction and the surrounding area as the wildfire exhibited extreme fire behavior. During the night of August 18, the fire grew quickly due to thunderstorm winds up to 40 mph for a three to four hour period. As a result, the fire increased by more than 30,000 acres that night.
As of August 27, 2020 the Pine Gulch Fire became the largest wildfire in Colorado State history, surpassing the Hayman Fire that burned near Colorado Springs in the summer of 2002." - InciWeb
The Pine Gulch Fire is now the third-largest wildfire in Colorado history, as it was surpassed by the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires later in 2020.
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Colorado
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Garfield
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Glenwood Springs
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August 10, 2020
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Wildfire
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"The Grizzly Creek Fire (also called the 120 Fire) was a wildfire that burned 32,631 acres (13,205 ha) in Glenwood Canyon in Colorado. The fire first ignited on August 10, 2020 and was declared 100% contained on December 18, 2020. The Grizzly Creek fire's proximity to Interstate 70 resulted in a 13-day closure of the interstate. It threatened the Shoshone Generating Station and resulted in the evacuation of residences in the area, as well as closure of recreational land in portions of White River National Forest. The fire was human caused with the exact cause under investigation." - Wikipedia
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Colorado
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Larimer, Jackson
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Rustic, Estes Park, Red Feather Lakes
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August 13, 2020
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Wildfire
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$151,337,000.00
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$134,000,000.00
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The Cameron Peak Fire is the largest wildfire in Colorado history as of 2020. It is also the third most destructive wildfire in Colorado history, in terms of homes destroyed, behind the Black Forest Fire in 2013 and the Marshall Fire in 2021.
"The Cameron Peak Fire was reported on Thursday, August 13 at approximately 1:48 PM. The fire was burning in steep, rugged terrain, approximately 25 miles east of Walden and 15 miles southwest of Red Feather Lakes near Cameron Pass.
The fire burned through an area of 208,913 acres on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Larimer and Jackson Counties and Rocky Mountain National Park.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation. Large scale and long duration evacuations took place throughout the fire.
During the time the Cameron Peak Fire was burning, there was another fire (East Troublesome) burning simultaneously to the west of the Cameron Peak Fire, on the west side of the Continental Divide. On October 22, the East Troublesome Fire spotted over the Continental Divide, and created what became known as the “Thompson Zone” of the East Troublesome Fire.
On the Cameron Peak Fire, extreme temperatures, low humidity, rough terrain and gusty winds reaching over 70 miles per hour were just some of the elements that contributed to extreme fire behavior and rapid rates of spread. A major contributing factor to the large fire growth was the tremendous amount of beetle kill trees and the drought-stricken Ponderosa Pine, Engelmann Spruce and mixed conifer stands available as fuel.
After 62 days of burning, on October 14, the Cameron Peak Fire became the largest recorded wildfire in Colorado's history, surpassing the Pine Gulch Fire that burned near Grand Junction in 2020.
The Cameron Peak Fire was 100% contained as of December 2, 2020." - InciWeb
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Utah
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Davis, Salt Lake, Weber
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Salt Lake City, Farmington, Centerville, Ogden
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September 08, 2020
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High Wind
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1
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The wind event along the Wasatch Front was associated with the strong upper level low pressure system that brought a cold wave and snow to Colorado and Wyoming. Winds from this storm came from a northeasterly to an easterly direction. Winds from the east along the Wasatch Front cause very strong downslope winds near the base of the Wasatch Mountains. Wind gusts reach 89 mph at the University of Utah and 77 mph at the airport in Salt Lake City. The highest recorded wind speed was 99 mph in Farmington. This wind event differed from many Wasatch Front downslope wind events, because the high winds extended much further west from the mountains than is typical. Strong winds below over thousands of mature trees, damaging powerlines, structures and closing roads. Nearly 180,000 customers lost power in Utah during this storm.
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Colorado, Wyoming
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Carbon, Albany, Jackson
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Laramie
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September 17, 2020
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Wildfire
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$39,076,500.00
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$34,599,900.00
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"The Mullen Fire is a wildfire that burned over 176,878 acres (71,580 ha), 28 miles (45 km) west of Laramie, Wyoming. The fire started on September 17, 2020 in the Savage Run Wilderness of Carbon County, and spread to Albany County. On September 30, it spread into Jackson County, Colorado. The cause is still under investigation. It burned close to the Rob Roy Reservoir, and Platte River Wilderness. On October 15, 2020, the fire was estimated to span 25 miles north to south, and 23 miles east to west." - Wikipedia
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