Bora Windstorm Whips Areas Near Denver With Gusts Over 100 mph
By Chris Spears
DENVER (CBS4) - People living northwest of Denver had a rude awakening by Mother Nature early Wednesday as a bora windstorm struck the region.
Wind gusts equivalent to an EF1 tornado or a Category 2 hurricane were recorded.
Areas in and near the northern Front Range foothills of Colorado, including Boulder and Fort Collins, are very prone to severe windstorms, especially during the fall and winter.
The extreme wind is caused by the Rocky Mountains.
As wind in the atmosphere crosses over the Continental Divide the mountain barrier helps to create waves within that flow. The result is an area of extreme turbulence that can mean both a rough ride for pilots and people traveling on the ground.
As these waves form and the atmosphere responds the energy of the wind is deflected down toward the ground, flowing through the rough and rugged terrain of the foothills.
In addition to already having great speeds simply because of how the atmosphere behaves, wind gusts can be further accelerated as the air is funneled and squeezed through canyons.
These windstorms can last for several hours and are capable of flipping cars and trucks, knocking down trees, fences and power lines and sometimes they can even rip roofs off homes and businesses.
If a windstorm occurs out ahead of an approaching storm system it is referred to as a Chinook wind. If it happens behind a storm system we call it a Bora wind.
The strong winds usually spill out of the foothills and onto the adjacent plains bringing high wind gusts into places like Denver and Greeley.
If you experience one of these wind events pay close attention to your thermometer because air temperatures can sometimes rapidly rise.
This is due to compressional warming of the atmosphere as the air is forced to rapidly descend the eastern slopes of the Rockies.
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.
