Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 2, NWS Pueblo, CO

May 18, 1988Kiowa County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 18, 1988, 3:43 PM MDT for Kiowa County, Colorado. It was in force for 62 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 18, 1988, 3:43 PM MDT (21:43 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 1988, 4:45 PM MDT
In force
62 min
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO
Area
Whole counties

County Kiowa County, CO

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 165 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 1988-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 1988-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 25 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1620 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KPUB 182143
SVRPUB
COC061-182245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
343 PM MDT WED MAY 18 1988

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 445 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY

   IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF COLORADO
      CENTRAL KIOWA

AT 332 PM MDT RADAR SHOWED A VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 5 MILES
SOUTH OF EADS IN CENTRAL KIOWA COUNTY. REPORTS FROM SPOTTERS
INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN IN EADS. SMALL HAIL WAS ALSO REPORTED
AT 335 PM MDT. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH 15 MPH.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADWAYS QUICKLY...
AVOID DRIVING INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

 GRAY

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 18, 1:27 PM MDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
127 PM MDT WED MAY 18 1988

      ...THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOPE IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO. AT 123PM
THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE JUST EAST OF WALSENBURG IN HUERFANO
COUNTY AND IN TRINIDAD IN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH.

BRIEF LOCAL HEAVY RAINS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO. STRONG WINDS...HAIL AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. PEOPLE NEAR THESE STORMS
SHOULD MOVE INDOORS AWAY FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED.
GALLLEGOS
Special weather statement, May 18, 1:54 PM MDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
152 PM MDT WED MAY 18 1988

      ...THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO AND
MOVE NORTH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN NORTHWEST LAS ANIMAS...
HUERFANO...AND PUEBLO COUNTIES MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH. AT
152 PM MDT THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE IN NORTHEAST HUERFANO
AND SOUTHEAST PUEBLO COUNTIES.

BRIEF LOCAL HEAVY RAINS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO. STRONG WINDS...HAIL
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. PEOPLE SHOULD SEEK
SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPRAOCHES.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED.
GALLEGOS
Special weather statement, May 18, 3:17 PM MDT, 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
320 PM MDT WED MAY 18 1988

         ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
            COLORADO UNTIL 8 PM MDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
COLORADO UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING. THE WATCH INCLUDES  CROWLEY
...NORTHEAST OTERO...NORTHWEST BENT AND WESTERN KIOWA COUNTIES.

AT 315 PM MDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST
COLORADO IN CROWLEY...EAST CENTRAL OTERO...WESTERN BENT AND SOUTHERN
KIOWA COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST AND MOST NUMEROUS STORMS WERE IN
CROWLEY COUNTY NEAR OLNEY SPRINGS AND CROWLEY. THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE  MOVING TO THE NORTH 10 TO 15 MPH. WINDS AROUND 50 MPH WERE
REPORTED FROM THE LA JUNTA AREA AT 315 PM MDT.

THE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS. STORMS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING HEAVY WIND...DAMAGING WIND AND HAIL.

PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO...ESPECIALLY THOSE IN CROWLEY...NORTHEAST
OTERO...NORTHWEST BENT AND WESTERN KIOWA COUNTIES WHERE THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT...SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE STORM
SITUATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A
SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

LATER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
GRAY
Special weather statement, May 18, 3:23 PM MDT, 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
320 PM MDT WED MAY 18 1988

         ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
            COLORADO UNTIL 8 PM MDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
COLORADO UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING. THE WATCH INCLUDES  CROWLEY
...NORTHEAST OTERO...NORTHWEST BENT AND WESTERN KIOWA COUNTIES.

AT 315 PM MDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST
COLORADO IN CROWLEY...EAST CENTRAL OTERO...WESTERN BENT AND SOUTHERN
KIOWA COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST AND MOST NUMEROUS STORMS WERE IN
CROWLEY COUNTY NEAR OLNEY SPRINGS AND CROWLEY. THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE  MOVING TO THE NORTH 10 TO 15 MPH. WINDS AROUND 50 MPH WERE
REPORTED FROM THE LA JUNTA AREA AT 315 PM MDT.

THE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS. STORMS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WIND AND HAIL.

PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO...ESPECIALLY THOSE IN CROWLEY...NORTHEAST
OTERO...NORTHWEST BENT AND WESTERN KIOWA COUNTIES WHERE THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT...SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE STORM
SITUATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A
SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

LATER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
GRAY

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Colorado, 1988Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1988

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.