329
NOUS45 KBOU 040410
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-041615-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
1010 PM MDT THU SEP 3 2026
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE 8/22/2026 ORCHARD
THUNDERSTORM WIND AND HAIL EVENT...
EMPIRE RESERVOIR TO JACKSON LAKE STATE PARK
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 80 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 11.0 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 3.6 MILES
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 2
START DATE: 8/22/2026
START TIME: 3:59 PM MDT
START LOCATION: 2 SE MASTERS / WELD / CO
START LAT/LON: 40.272 / -104.226
END DATE: 8/22/2026
END TIME: 4:27 PM MDT
END LOCATION: JACKSON RESERVOIR / MORGAN / CO
END LAT/LON: 40.379 / -104.071
DURING THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 22, A THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPED OVER
SOUTHERN WELD COUNTY ALONG AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY. THIS STORM QUICKLY
INTENSIFIED AS IT MOVED NORTHEAST AND APPROACHED I-76 NEAR THE
WELD/MORGAN COUNTY LINE, WHERE IT PRODUCED A SIGNIFICANT SWATH OF
DAMAGE FROM EMPIRE RESERVOIR THROUGH JACKSON LAKE STATE PARK. A
STORM SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON AUGUST 25, WHICH REVEALED A SWATH OF
SIGNIFICANT STRAIGHT LINE WIND AND WIND-DRIVEN HAIL DAMAGE ALONG
A 11 MILE PATH. MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 80 MPH,
ALONG WITH A MAXIMUM HAIL SIZE OF APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES IN
DIAMETER.
DAMAGE WAS FIRST EVIDENT ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF EMPIRE RESERVOIR
ALONG HIGHWAY 34. SIGNIFICANT CROP LOSS WAS NOTED IN MANY FIELDS,
ALONG WITH COMPLETE DEFOLIATION OF VEGETATION ALONG AND NORTH OF
THE SOUTH PLATTE RIVER. MOST RESIDENCES ALONG A ROUGHLY 3 MILE
STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 34 WERE DAMAGED, WITH MOST SOUTH AND WEST
FACING WINDOWS BROKEN, ALONG WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO VINYL
SIDING. THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND HAIL ALSO INJURED HORSES AND
KILLED TWO CALVES AT ONE RESIDENCE.
DAMAGE CONTINUED INTO FAR WESTERN MORGAN COUNTY, INCLUDING THE
TOWN OF ORCHARD, WHERE AN ESTIMATED 60 PERCENT OF HOMES HAD BROKEN
WINDOWS AND/OR SIDING DAMAGE. MORE SEVERE DAMAGE WAS ALSO EVIDENT
JUST TO THE WEST AND NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN, WHERE SEVERAL TREES
WERE UPROOTED AND A FEW HOUSES HAD ALMOST ALL OF THE SIDING ON
WEST-FACING WALLS REMOVED FROM THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND HAIL.
A LARGE CARPORT AT A RESIDENCE TO THE SOUTHWEST OF JACKSON LAKE
STATE PARK WAS LIFTED OVER THE HOUSE, WITH SOME OF THIS DEBRIS
THROWN ABOUT 50 YARDS TO THE NORTHEAST. WITHIN THE STATE PARK,
SEVERAL TREES WERE UPROOTED, AND TWO MINOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED
FROM HAIL. THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND HAIL ALSO DAMAGED NEARLY
EVERY VEHICLE AND CAMPER IN THE AREA.
SPECIAL THANKS GOES OUT TO THE MORGAN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER AND
THE PARK MANAGER OF JACKSON LAKE STATE PARK FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE
DURING THIS SURVEY.
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.
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