Official Wind Gust Of 148 mph Recorded In Colorado's High Rockies
By Justin McHeffey and Chris Spears
DENVER (CBS4) - It's a sign of just how strong the winds blowing over Colorado were as a powerful jet stream passed overhead.
Just after 7:30 p.m. on Thursday the weather station on Monarch Pass recorded a wind gust of 148 mph.
The gust is official and confirmed by the National Weather Service office in Pueblo.
The core of the strongest jet stream winds were passing almost directly overhead, and the weather station on Monarch Pass sits just over 12,000 feet in elevation.
One unique feature of the Colorado Rockies, as opposed to elsewhere in the west, is the amount of terrain that stretches between 12,000 and 14,000 feet high.
While there are big mountains in other parts of the Rockies, some of the highest real estate lies in Colorado, which has the highest average elevation of any state in the nation.
On nights like these, the mountain tops extend into the path of the jet stream, where winds top 150 mph.
Colorado is no stranger to high winds, both at mountain top and in lower elevations, such as the foothills.
On Jan. 23, 1971, a wind gust of 147 mph was recorded in Boulder.
Justin McHeffey provides nightly reports from the Mobile Weather Lab. He travels Colorado in search of Mother Nature's most powerful and beautiful conditions. Like his Facebook page Meteorologist Justin McHeffey and follow him on Twitter @WeatherMcHeffey.
Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.
