A widespread high wind event occurred, as a powerful cold front rolled through the Interior Northwest and northern Rockies before reaching the Midwest.  Strong and damaging winds developed across north central and northeast Colorado.  A peak wind gust of 116 mph was measured at Breckenridge Ski Area, at an elevation of 12,573 feet in the early morning hours of the 14th.  In the foothills of Boulder and Larimer counties, a large shed blew over and smashed into a parked car in Gold Hill, and the   wind snapped two poles near the Glen Haven General Store leading to power outages in the area. Across metro Denver, a fallen tree brought down power lines and sparked a small grass and shed fire; another tree fell into a house in Centennial.  No injuries were reported. Numerous downed trees and power outages occurred over parts of northeast Colorado.  On the 15th, the Colorado Department of Transportation closed Interstate 70 between Airpark Rd and the Kansas Stateline because of a dust storm that left drivers with zero visibility and led to several crashes. U.S. 287/40 from Limon to Kit Carson was also closed.  A fatal accident on I-70 in Lincoln County, halfway between Genoa and Arriba.  At least one fatality was confirmed, with 15 accident victims transported to Limon hospital.
In the mountains and foothills, peak gusts included: 116 mph at Breckenridge Ski Resort, 99 mph near Glen Haven, 94 mph near Crisman, 83 mph near Arapahoe Basin and Blackhawk; 80 mph near Marshall, 79 mph near Berthoud Pass, 78 mph along I-25 near Buckeye and Copper Mountain; 77 mph near Nederland and Wellington; 76 mph near Pinecliffe, 75 mph at Virginia Dale, 74 mph at Walden, 66 mph near Frisco, and 65 mph at Tabernash.
Across the urban corridor and northeast plains of Colorado, peak wind gusts included:  81 mph, 8 miles south of Holyoke; 74 mph near Julesburg, 72 mph near Greeley and Limon; 71 mph near Crook, 69 mph near Centennial and Hugo; 67 mph northwest of Nunn; 66 mph at Akron, Holyoke and near Severance; 65 mph near Eaton, Natural Fort Rest Area and near Wiggins; 64 mph in Broomfield, along U.S. 85 near the Wyoming Stateline and Crow Creek; 63 mph near Cedar Point, Elizabeth and Northglenn; 62 mph at Fort Morgan, near Pawnee Pass, Strasburg and Sterling; 60 mph in Burdett, near Buckley AFB, Castle Pines, Lone Tree and Parker; 59 mph near Littleton and Nunn; 58 mph near Briggsdale, Denver International Airport, and Ovid.

High Wind in LARIMER & BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 & 9000 FEET, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 09:00:00 to 14-JAN-21 18:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 86.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak gusts included:  99 mph, 1 mile north of Glen Haven; 94 mph, 1 mile northeast of Crisman; 80 mph, 3 miles northwest of Marshall; 77 mph near , 4 miles east-northwest of Nederland and 1 mile northwest of Wellington; 76 mph, 3 miles east-southeast of Pinecliffe; 75 mph at Virginia Dale.

High Wind in JEFFERSON & W DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET / GILPIN / CLEAR CREEK / NE PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 16:35:00 to 14-JAN-21 12:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 72.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak gusts included 83 mph at Blackhawk.

High Wind in LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET / NW WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 06:32:00 to 14-JAN-21 18:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 68.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak gusts included:  78 mph along I-25 and Buckeye Road; 68 mph, 2 miles north-northeast of Natural Fort Rest Area; 67 mph, 5 miles northwest of Nunn.

High Wind in BOULDER & JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET / W BROOMFIELD COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 12:00:00 to 14-JAN-21 12:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Reported by: ASOS

A peak wind gust of 64 mph was measured at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport, with some wind damage in Littleton.

High Wind in NE WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 15:42:00 to 15-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak gusts:  58 mph, 1 mile north-northwest of Briggsdale.

High Wind in C & S WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 21:42:00 to 14-JAN-21 18:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included:  65 mph, 1 mile east-southeast of Eaton, 64 mph at Crow Creek, 62 mph, 4 miles northwest of Kersey, and 59 mph at Nunn.

High Wind in MORGAN COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 12:00:00 to 15-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included 65 mph, 2 miles east-northeast of Wiggins, and 62 mph at Fort Morgan Airport.

High Wind in C & E ADAMS & ARAPAHOE COUNTIES, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 12:00:00 to 14-JAN-21 18:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

A peak wind gust of 62 mph was measured 2 miles southeast of Strasburg.

High Wind in N & NE ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET / N LINCOLN COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 12:00:00 to 15-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 63.00 MG
Reported by: ASOS

Peak wind gusts included:  72 mph at Limon Municipal Airport, 69 mph at Hugo, 63 mph, 3 miles south of Cedar Point, and 61 mph one mile east of Limon.

High Wind in LOGAN COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 21:40:00 to 15-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 54.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included 62 mph along I-76 near Sterling.

High Wind in WASHINGTON COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 21:46:00 to 15-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 57.00 MG
Reported by: ASOS

Peak wind gusts included 66 mph at Akron-Washington County Airport and 60 mph in Burdett.

High Wind in SEDGWICK COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 21:22:00 to 15-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 64.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included:  74 mph near Julesburg, 58 mph, 2 miles north-northeast of Ovid.

High Wind in PHILLIPS COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 21:42:00 to 15-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 70.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included 81 mph, 8 miles south of Holyoke and 66 mph at Holyoke Airport.

High Wind in S & SE GRAND / W CENTRAL & SW BOULDER / GILPIN / CLEAR CREEK / SUMMIT / N & W PARK COUNTIES ABOVE 9000 FEET, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 15:35:00 to 14-JAN-21 02:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 101.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak gusts:  116 mph at Breckenridge Ski Resort; 83 mph at Arapahoe Basin; 79 mph, 1 mile east-northeast of Berthoud Pass.

High Wind in JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 21:15:00 to 13-JAN-21 21:22:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 64.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included 74 mph at Walden Airport.

High Wind in N DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET / DENVER / W ADAMS & ARAPAHOE COUNTIES / E BROOMFIELD COUNTY, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 12:00:00 to 13-JAN-21 17:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 60.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included:  69 mph, 2 miles east-southeast of Centennial, 58 mph at Denver International Airport.

High Wind in ELBERT / C & E DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET, COLORADO
From 13-JAN-21 12:00:00 to 13-JAN-21 12:00:00 (MST-7)
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Reported by: Mesonet

Peak wind gusts included 60 mph, 1 mile north-northeast of Castle Pines, 2 miles north-northeast of Lone Tree, and 4 miles east-northeast of Parker.

Dust Storm in N & NE ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET / N LINCOLN COUNTY, COLORADO
From 15-JAN-21 10:00:00 to 15-JAN-21 14:00:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Strong winds produced near zero visibility along Interstate 70.  Multiple accidents along
I-70 forced its closure due to strong winds and near zero visibility in blowing dust.  There was one fatality, with another 15 transported to Limon Hospital. US 287/40 was also closed due to the hazardous travel conditions.