On January 17, 1982, a windstorm hit Colorado’s Front Range, with gusts reaching 137 mph. The storm caused an estimated $20 million in damages, affecting about 40% of Boulder’s properties. Injuries occurred, including an elderly woman who fell due to the winds. The event showcased the dangers of windstorms in mountainous areas, paralleling conditions seen in Southern California.
On January 17, 1982, the Front Range of Colorado was struck by a severe windstorm, producing gusts reminiscent of hurricane conditions. The National Center for Atmospheric Research recorded wind gusts of up to 137 mph, with 20 instances exceeding 120 mph. This extraordinary weather event resulted in extensive damage, impacting around 40 percent of all properties in Boulder, including residential and commercial structures.
The aftermath of the storm was dire; fifty homes were rendered uninhabitable, and twenty light aircraft at Boulder’s airport were destroyed. The estimated damages amounted to $20 million, marking this event as the most costly windstorm in Colorado’s recorded history at that time, according to reports from the National Weather Service.
Injuries were reported, with at least fifteen individuals sustaining cuts and other minor injuries. Notably, an elderly woman suffered a hip fracture after she fell from her mobile home while unaware that the wind had dismantled her steps and porch. The storm showcased the potential for destructive winds, primarily caused by air being forced into the mountainous terrain and channeled through nearby canyons, echoing the dynamics of Santa Ana winds in Southern California.
This report was featured in the Morning Brief newsletter, which provides updates from The Weather Channel’s meteorologists. The article is authored by Jonathan Erdman, a senior meteorologist with extensive experience in weather reporting since 1996. He specializes in extreme and unusual weather phenomena, with channels of communication available through Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook.
Windstorms, typically associated with severe weather events, can arise from specific meteorological conditions. The Front Range of Colorado frequently experiences damaging winds as air interacts with mountainous terrain and narrow canyons. Such phenomena can produce intense wind gusts capable of causing significant destruction, as demonstrated by the 1982 Boulder windstorm, which remains one of Colorado’s most impactful wind events.
The windstorm of January 17, 1982, stands as a notable event in Colorado’s weather history due to its unprecedented strength and widespread damage. Its legacy is marked by significant property destruction, injuries, and economic losses, emphasizing the vulnerability of the Front Range to extreme wind events stemming from geographic features. This incident serves as a reminder of nature’s potential ferocity and the importance of weather preparedness in susceptible regions.
Original Source: weather.com
