Rio Blanco Fire; August 6th. One of the twenty-person crews working on the Rio Blanco Fire was Crew 307, a “Regulars” crew cobbled together from individuals across Wyoming and Northern Colorado. Thank you Crew 307! The fire was 100% contained on August 18th. (Select title of post to see picture)
Tuesday – 3 September 2026 – 6:00pm
Included in this newsletter: Big Thank You Waves to Individual Donors & Our Sponsors; Community Outreach News; Calendar of events, CoCoRaHS and Contest Updates…
Personal Donations
Huge waves of thanks to: Sandra & Darin Dillon! Thank you!!!
What your generous donation goes towards…
Your donations help us pay for our website manager, Do Engelhardt at Fluid Elements Web, the Pagosa Weather website, commercial weather subscriptions, and other business expenses. Most importantly your donations ensure that we will be able to provide this FREE service for everyone for years to come!
To make a donation, click on this link: How to Donate. You can donate by PayPal, Square with Visa or MasterCard, or DAF Direct.
Pagosa Weather will be part of the Color Gives Campaign this year!
Checks can be made out and mailed to: Pagosa Weather, 56 Talisman Dr Unit 3, PMB 142, Pagosa Springs CO 81147. Thank you so much for your generosity!
Shawn and I have been truly touched by the support our followers have shown for us! THANK YOU!!!
Sponsors
We LOVE our Sponsors! They just amaze us with their support!
This Month’s featured sponsor: Peggy Andrews, Independent Real Estate Broker! Peggy was one of our very first sponsors five years ago!
Peggy has been assisting Sellers and Buyers in the Pagosa Springs, Colorado area for almost 25 years. Her motto “I work for YOU” is indicative of her independent status and her commitment to providing personalized service to her clients without having to answer to anyone else. This allows Peggy to tailor her marketing plan for each listing to the specific property, so the marketing can highlight the unique features of the property. Peggy is licensed in Colorado and New Mexico.
Peggy works with Pagosa Outreach Connection, a group of faith based and civic organizations. They help Archuleta County residents in need who are normally sustainable but fall into a financial crisis outside their control. They pay rent, utilities, car repairs, and other necessary basic needs. Thank you Peggy for your support and all you do for our community!
Contact
Phone: 970-946-0473
Email: Peggy@PeggyAndrews.com
Peggy & her rescue pup, Teal. Peggy adopted Teal through Rugby’s Rescue two years ago.
2026 Sponsors! (Click on the sponsor’s name to follow link to their website.)
Blizzard Level Sponsor: Ski & Bow Rack
Snowman Level Sponsors
Terry’s Colorado Home Supply & Ace Hardware
Snowball Level Sponsors
Peggy Andrews, Independent Real Estate Broker
Dr. Leo Milner, D.C., Chiropractic Services
Pagosa Wilderness + Pagosa Rafting Outfitters + A1Taxi
Storm Sponsor: The Springs Resort
Community Outreach!
Rio Blanco Fire
Shawn and I work closely with the Pagosa and Columbine San Juan National Forest Wildland Fire teams. First, we provided fire weather training in the spring. In addition, we have been answering the questions and concerns from the team management this summer. They have been walking a fine line all summer with grave concerns about the fuel conditions due to the dry weather.
We felt we had dodged a bullet. Unfortunately…
The Rio Blanco fire was reported on July 28th and quickly grew. It burned south of Eightmile Mesa, approximately 12 miles south of Pagosa Springs on Valle Seco B Road. The fire was started by lightning at about 3pm. Nearby neighborhoods, on the Lower Blanco were evacuated with very short notice.
Our local Pagosa District USFS Wildland fire team with assistance from local fire departments and the Sheriff’s office took initial command. A San Juan Type 3 Incident Management Team was able to relocate from another fire to Pagosa Springs to assume management of the fire the next day. Shawn and I attended a few of their early morning briefs. We were very impressed with the professionalism and expertise of these dedicated professional fire crews.
The Rio Blanco Fire’s final mapped size was 1,388 acres on August 5th, when it was reported to be 55 percent contained. Pre-evacuation orders were lifted on August 5th and 6th with mandatory evacuation orders lifted the afternoon on Friday, August 7th, allowing residents along County Road 335 to return home after more than a week.
The fire was declared 100% contained on August 18th. No structures were damaged or lost.
Our thoughts are with those who were displaced, our Pagosa neighbors, as they settle back into their homes. We are so thankful to everyone in the community that rallied to help the firefighters and our neighbors who have evacuated their homes. We love where we live!
As always, we are so thankful to all the firefighter teams, those local and those from around the country.
Morning brief at Cloman Park. Firefighters received a briefing and work assignments before heading out into the field. Briefings include a weather and fire behavior forecast, an update on night operations and the fire situation, a plan for the day’s work, a safety message, and logistical information such as where to get meals, showers, and bed down for the night. Photo courtesy of USFS.
A huge shout out and thank you to San Juan Team 8 for setting up the smaller organization for success. Photo courtesy of USFS.
Pagosa Mountain Rotary Club
Pagosa Mountain Rotary Club is the smaller, but very active Rotary Club here in Pagosa Springs. The group helps run the Feed Our Children Program; a backpack weekend food program for local school children. They also contribute to community initiatives, youth projects, and regional non-profit efforts in Archuleta County. They meet in the evening and are always looking for new members who understand and want to be part of civic involvement.
Kenny Rogers, a Rotary member, and a Pagosa Weather board member, invited Shawn and I to share with them details about Pagosa Weather; who we are and the need for our service. We also talked about how the monsoon season was going. In addition, we shared a very first look at what we can expect this winter.
The Pagosa Mountain Rotary Club will be at the Pagosa Weather Winter Weather Wonder event, November 13th manning a wine and beer bar. All proceeds go towards their community initiatives.
Mountain rotary Club members: Left side; Cyndy Secrist, Sam Conti, Stan Zuege, and Elsa White. Right side; Doug Secrist, Jolene Lujan, Jacob Rasmussen, and Kenny Rogers.
Young Eagles Day AND Vet 4 Vets & Rotary Club Community Pancake Breakfast!
Come one, come all, to the 5th Annual FREE Community Pancake Breakfast hosted by Vets 4 Vets on Saturday, September 12th, and by Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs on Sunday, September 13th, from 8am-11am both days. Location: Archuleta County Airport-Stevens Field (61 Aviation Ct.)
On the same date/location is the Young Eagles Event! Founded in 1992, the Young Eagles program is dedicated to giving youth ages 8–17, an opportunity to go flying in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge and are made possible through the generosity of EAA member volunteers. Follow this link to register. There are only a few slots left on Saturday!
Shawn and I will be there early to brief the aviation weather to all the pilots for the flights.
I’ll be flipping pancakes on Saturday morning to help out the Vets 4 Vets folks.
40th Annual Colorfest!
Experience the magic of fall in Pagosa Springs during Colorfest 2026! ColorFest weekend is September 18th-20th with hot air balloons, a food & wine festival, live music, food trucks, craft beer, spirit tastings and mountain-town fun.
Arleen & Shawn will be up early each morning to brief the balloon pilots.
More information and tickets at Colorfest info & Tickets
We’ll have a full forecast with event details out the week before Colorfest.
Pagosa Weather “Winter Weather Wonder”!
Friday, November 13th, 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Pagosa Lakes Clubhouse 230 Port Avenue.
Pagosa Weather, as the NWS Weather Ready Nation Ambassadors, will put on the 2nd annual Winter Weather Wonder in order to help the community prepare for winter. Everyone is invited to this FREE event!
We will passing out free snow windshield wiper brushes, again. There will be Hors d’oeuvres and dessert as well.
The Pagosa Mountain Rotary Club will be manning a wine and beer bar. All proceeds go towards their community initiatives.
Note, this event is free and open to the public.
Dustin English with the Upper San Juan Search and Rescue will be the guest speaker. Shawn and I will speak about this winter’s forecast and the influence of El Nino.
Upper San Juan Search and Rescue and other nonprofit organizations will have information booths. If you have a winter seasonal non-profit organization and you would like to have a table, contact Arleen at pagosaweather@gmail.com.
Pagosa Weather sponsors will have information booths & pop-up shops.
We look forward to an evening talking about everything winter and SNOW!
Pagosa Weather Calendar News
- September 12th/13th: Young Eagles Day & Vet 4 Vets & Rotary Club Community Pancake Breakfast!
- September 18th-20th: Colorfest! We’ll provide Aviation weather briefs and we’ll have a weather forecast out the week before.
- October: CoCoRaHS annual snow training. Exact date TBD.
- Friday, November 13th! Pagosa Weather Winter Weather Wonder…
If any teachers or organizations would like a Pagosa Weather class or presentation, send an email to Arleen at pagosaweather@gmail.com.
CoCoRaHS Newsletter Updates
Pagosa Weather is the Archuleta County “CoCoRaHS Coordinator” and “Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador”.
Hopefully, we will have another new observer in Arboles next month.
HELP! Do you or do you have a friend that lives in one of the four areas highlighted below?
Archuleta County is well represented but we still have BIG data gaps. We really need a volunteer in southern Hinsdale County, Pagosa Junction, Dulce, and Upper Blanco. Sign up by filling out this web page: https://www.cocorahs.org/application.aspx. Or send us a note and we can send you more detailed information.
Weather Data Lovers, CoCoRaHS has released CoCoRaHS Data Explorer, or “DEx” for short. This tool provides countless new ways to visualize and analyze data. Note: it is highly recommended to use larger screens when viewing the DEx.
Click here to go to the DEx Station Search page for data access to any station in the database. (open to the public)
Pagosa Weather August SUMMARY & September Outlook News
Shawn’s August SUMMARY & my September Outlook.
Contest Updates
Special Thanks to our sponsor businesses that have stepped forward to sponsor our weather contests. They are a lot of fun!
The First Inch of Snow Contest will be out in a few days.
Active Contest – Monsoon!!!
This contest is closed to any new guesses.
Forecast the amount of measured rain that the Pagosa Springs area will receive during the monsoon season. This includes the months of July, August, and September, to the nearest 100th of an inch. If the monsoon starts earlier in June, Arleen and Shawn will determine the exact date that the monsoon set up and include that data from those dates.
The winner receives a Springs Resort General Admission Membership for a year! It includes:
- Enjoy unlimited soaking 7 days a week and exclusive early access from 8–9:00 am in our 25 hot spring soaking pools.
- Access to 20 pools + 5 VIP adult-only pools
- Unlimited Soaking – 7 Days/Week + Holidays
- Daily Locker Included
- Daily Towel Included
The Springs Resort is also Pagosa Weather’s Storm Sponsor and are there with us through blizzards and significant monsoon storms. We are deeply grateful for their support!
Everyone is still in the running. The average for July was 1.81″. The average for August was only .99″. That brings the monsoon total so far to 2.8″. Good Luck to everyone!
- Dave Stimpson 2.73
Peggy Andrews 3.27
Lori Cruser 3.6
Maureen Collins 4
Rob Barlow 4.2
Debbie Moore 4.25
Denise Giroux 4.43
Victoria Coleman 4.44
Kevin O’Brien 5.01 - Mike Buckingham 5.16
Andrew Gonzales 5.25
Bobby Phillips 5.79
Phil Slusher 5.86
Darrell Smith 5.95
Bryan Weitzel 5.95
Chellie Panzera 6.07
Ed H H 6.13
CD Wagner 6.18
Gretchen Rettig 6.25
Musetta Wollenweber 6.26
Troy Rettig 6.33
Michael Offerman 6.56
Kenny Rogers 6.75
Donna Lewis 6.78
PATTI SPINDLER 7.11
James Bickel 7.13
Jeff Witten 7.26
Michelle Juneau 7.26
Terri Thielst 7.64
Jon Reed 7.69
Lida Gregory 7.76
Tina Edwards 7.76
Chris Edwards 7.77
Onyclare Wyrum 7.77
Paul Coleman 7.77
Chris Edwards 7.77
Brady Turner 7.85
Micah Stewart 7.89
Abey Nelson 8.15
Kate Porter 8.27
Eric Fisk 8.34
Mark Langford 8.72
Charlie Beach 8.76
Russell Wyrum 9
Rick Holter 9.17
Shelley Shrader 9.24
Jenny Yurechko 9.54
Diana Aragon 10.11
Rick Allen 11.23
Clayton Rizzi 12.24
Joni Bussoli 12.35
