Bomb cyclone greatest hits: Storm delivers record pressures, winds over 100 mph
The Colorado record has (kind of) been confirmed.
Today, March 13, 2019 will go down in history as the most intense storm ever observed in the Colorado, New Mexico, and maybe Kansas area. At 18Z, the WPC has analyzed the Low over SE Colorado at 968 millibars (28.58" Hg). 971 mb was measured at Lamar, CO. This is likely lower than anything recorded in Colorado (record 975.8), New Mexico (record 974.6), possibly Kansas (971.6).
Here's the final list of "greatest hits," interspersed with some of the amazing maps showing the storm's intensity:
Goodland, KS: 975.2
Pueblo, CO: 975.1 (station record)
Dodge City, KS: 974.6 mb (lowest since 1900)
Trinidad, CO: 973.8
Clayton, NM: 973.4 (likely state record)
Garden City, KS: 972.7
La Junta, CO: 971.2
Lamar, CO: 971.0 (likely state record)
Mancos, Coloardo: 121 mph
Sunlight, Colorado: 113 mph
Jefferson, CO: 109 mph
Grand Prairie, TX: 109 mph
Pine Springs, TX: 103 mph
St. Augustin Pass, TX: 104 mph
Cloudcroft, NM: 100 mph
Colorado Springs, CO: 97 mph
Glacier Park, MT: 94 mph
Glen Haven, CO: 92 mph
Ruby Valley, NV: 91 mph
This map shows the immense area covered by winds over 50 mph:
Colorado Springs, CO: 97 mph
Pueblo, CO: 85 mph
Amarillo, TX: 80 mph
Denver, CO: 80 mph
Dallas, TX: 78 mph
This plot map I created shows every wind gust over 70 mph (circled) and 80 mph (large numbers):
The coverage area of the storm was impressive -- some called it an "inland hurricane" -- spotter reports numbered over 2,000 and there were hundreds of AccuWeather AccuCast reports about the storm as well. There were over 500 severe thunderstorm, tornado and flood warnings issued that week.
The storm wreaked havoc for at least three days, starting with some snow in the Rockies and Arizona and tornadoes in Texas on March 12th; on March 13th, the record low pressure readings were set, blizzard conditions overtook the Rockies and South Dakota, and flash flood warnings went out. For Day 3, March 14th, a major tornado outbreak hit Alabama while severe thunderstorms tracked through the Great Lakes and Midwest, while high winds gusted behind the storm from Nebraska to Minnesota.
I also made this mosaic of hundreds of maps and photos from the storm.
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