Things were a bit windy in Western Colorado Wednesday (March 25) night. Depending on what altitude you were at, it might have been unbelievably windy. Check out this information from the National Weather Service.

Wednesday, March 25, the National Weather Service conducted a study using one of their weather balloons. A strong jet stream suggested the balloon would encounter high wind speeds. They went so far as to ask the public to make guesses as to the wind speeds it would encounter.

National Weather Service
National Weather Service
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At the time of the launch, the temperature in Grand Junction sat at 61 degrees, with a wind speed of 18 MPH at the surface. What did the balloon encounter after launch? According to the National Weather Service:

  • Top wind speed: 160.3 knots (184.5mph)
  • Top wind speed elevation: 32,985 feet (266.59mb)
  • Temperature at that height: -44.5 C (-48 F)

Keep in mind, these were the weather conditions just a few feet shy of 30,000 feet in the air. If these are the conditions at 30,000 feet, I think I'll stay here on the ground. I had no idea.

Thank you to the National Weather Service for sharing this information. I would highly recommend you follow the US National Weather Service Grand Junction Colorado page on Facebook.

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