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NWS Working To Verify 148 mph Wind Gust Near Colorado's Monarch Pass

By Chris Spears

DENVER (CBS4) - It's almost hard to imagine happening, and it's even harder to verify!

We're talking about the unconfirmed 148 mph wind gust near Monarch Pass Thursday evening.

MYP
(credit: NWS Pueblo & Google Earth)

The weather station sits about 1,000 feet above the highway on an exposed ridge where there are no trees and just a few structures nearby.

It's not a place where you would see a large swath of damage from such a powerful force of nature if it were to hit a lower elevation.

And while there is another weather sensor below the site along U.S. Highway 50, extreme variations are known to exist between the two locations.

Capture
(credit: NWS)

HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW

  • at the time a powerful jet stream was blowing over Colorado with winds exceeding 150 mph in the atmosphere
  • there were numerous gusts between 80-100 mph documented in Colorado's Rocky Mountains on Thursday
  • a gust of 117 mph was reported near Crested Butte on Scarp Ridge by the Crested Butte Avalanche Center
  • In addition to looking for physical signs of the gust, the National Weather Service will also examine the weather station itself and look for any malfunctions in the equipment.

    Here's a link to an official statement on the investigation thus far.

    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.

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