On Friday, the National Weather Service issued a rare, high-level warning for Colorado’s Front Range, turning a normally sunny region into a tinder-dry tinderbox as hurricane-force winds swept across several counties.
Colorado’s Front Range in Fire Danger
The warning, a “particularly dangerous situation” fire weather alert, was the first of its kind in the western state. Forecasters said that the combination of strong winds, super-low humidity and critically dry fuels could create life-threatening fire danger. “We don’t really want people to panic because that doesn’t help anything, but we want people to be prepared,” said Jennifer Stark, the meteorologist in charge of the Boulder office. Stark added that the area is in its peak windy season.
A high-wind warning remained in effect late in the day. The National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder recorded a gust of 105 mph (169 kph). The wind toppled trees, knocked down power lines, and the agency posted images of dust storms as officials urged residents to stay off the roads. Tens of thousands of customers lost power when Xcel Energy carried out a public-safety shut-off to prevent fire risks. The utility warned that unplanned outages caused by wind damage would likely exceed the number of customers affected by the preventive shutdowns.
In the foothill town of Nederland, grocery-store worker Matt Arlen stocked shelves in a shop that had been without power. “We’re used to kind of high winds,” he said. “It’s more the power outage affecting people up here that don’t have fireplaces for heat at home.” Arlen’s thoughts turned to the 2021 Marshall Fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes in the nearby Boulder suburbs. “The only thing is, we haven’t had a lot of snow,” the pricing coordinator at B&F Mountain Market added.
Meanwhile, in Wellington, a town of 11,000 on a notoriously windy stretch of the Colorado plains near the Wyoming line, public-library tech Elaine Ringland said the wind was on everyone’s mind. She used a generator during a blackout to keep a fridge running and a freezer from defrosting. “I can tell you right now, our flag is standing straight out,” she said Friday. “We’re prepared if we have to close down the library. Our town is watching it, and they’re in touch with the power company.” In her neighborhood, trees bent, shingles were tossed, and tumbleweeds rolled.
Oregon’s River Flooding and Fatality
In northwestern Oregon, forecasters expected widespread river flooding to continue after heavy rains. In the rural city of Sheridan, about 50 miles southwest of Portland, a 52-year-old man died after driving past road-closure signs onto a road covered with high water. The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said a 911 caller saw the man get out of the car and into the water after the vehicle was swept away by the current. His body was located by a drone and recovered by a rescue team and a resident.
Clackamas County, which covers parts of Portland suburbs and the Cascade Range, had earlier sent “go now” evacuation notices to 300 residences. County spokesperson Scott Anderson said the most significant flooding occurred on the Sandy, Clackamas and Molalla rivers, with authorities performing rescues throughout the night. By later Friday, some evacuation notices had been lifted. Clackamas Fire District spokesperson Lynsey Amundson said a family of six was rescued after getting stuck in their car on a flooded roadway. Elsewhere, an inflatable raft was used to rescue a man from his home.
Northern California Braces for Pineapple Express
In northern California, forecasters were expecting a Pineapple Express, a stronger atmospheric river that originates in the tropics near Hawaii, to arrive around Christmas Eve. The forecast gave hope to ski-resort operators that much-anticipated precipitation would extend into the Sierra Nevada, where very little snow has fallen this season.
Key Takeaways
- Colorado’s Front Range received its first PDS fire warning, with hurricane-force winds and dry fuels creating life-threatening conditions.
- Oregon rivers swelled from heavy rain, causing a fatality in Sheridan and prompting evacuations in Clackamas County.
- Northern California anticipates a Pineapple Express by Christmas Eve, potentially bringing much-needed snow to the Sierra Nevada.
The day’s weather highlights the diverse challenges across the West, from fire-prone windstorms in Colorado to flood-wrought tragedies in Oregon and a looming snow event in California. Residents and officials alike are staying vigilant as the storms continue to move across the region.
