Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 44, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

August 18, 1990Adams County, Arapahoe County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 18, 1990, 7:30 PM MDT for Adams County, Arapahoe County, Colorado. It was in force for 45 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 18, 1990, 7:30 PM MDT (01:30 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 1990, 8:15 PM MDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties

Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe 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 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 95 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 00:00Z on 1990-08-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 102 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 00:00Z on 1990-08-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 10 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
102 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-125 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2194 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
5 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 KDEN 190129
SVRDEN
COC005-001-190215-

BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
730 PM MDT SAT AUG 18 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 815 PM  MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST COLORADO:

     NORTHWESTERN ARAPAHOE
     SOUTHWESTERN ADAMS

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TOWNS/CITIES:

    WATKINS AND NORTHEAST AURORA


AT 0725PM THE PUBLIC REPORTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH 3/4 INCH
HAIL AND VERY STRONG WINDS AT MISSISSIPPI AND GUN CLUB ROAD IN NORTHEAST
AURORA.

THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...GO TO A STURDY
SHELTER AWAY FROM CREEK BEDS AND OTHER FLOOD PRONE AREAS.
REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS OF OVER 60 MPH...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND
HEAVY RAINS THAT CAN QUICKLY FLOOD A LOW LYING AREA.

INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM.  IF OUTDOORS...
STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS.  MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE.  WHEN
INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING
TELEPHONES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE
IN DENVER...OR CALL YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AT 361-0663.  DO NOT CALL THIS NUMBER FOR INFORMATION.

HOLZINGER

LAT...LON 3962 10448 3965 10476 3977 10477 3979 10446

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, Aug 18, 3:44 PM MDT, 3 hours 46 minutes before
COZ011-182300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
340 PM MDT SATURDAY AUG 18 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER...

AT 335PM THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED ALONG THE FRONT RANGE IN THE
FOOTHILLS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE WEAKENING AS THEY ATTEMPT TO MOVE
EASTWARD OUT OVER THE CITIES ALONG THE FRONT RANGE.  SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS COULD REACH THE DENVER METRO AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING.

THE PRIMARY DANGER WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS IS LIGHTNING.  SCATTERED
AREAS COULD GET 1/4 INCH OF RAIN WITH ISOLATED AREAS GETTING 1/2 INCH
TO 1 INCH...MAINLY IN AND NEAR THE FOOTHILLS.  PEA-SIZE HAIL IS ALSO
POSSIBLE.

MOVE INDOORS OR STAY IN YOUR VEHBICLE IF A THUNDERSTORM IS IN YOUR AREA.

HOLZINGER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 4:18 PM MDT, 3 hours 12 minutes before
COZ015>017-182315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
415 PM MDT SATURDAY AUG 18 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO...

AT 410PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO.
MOST THUNDERSTORMS WERE EAST OF LA JUNTA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM
WAS LOCATED 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF BRISTOL IN PROWERS COUNTY...OR 25 MILES
EAST NORTHEAST OF LAMAR...AND WAS MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTH AT 15 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL
...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

TAKE SHELTER IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES YOUR AREA.

HOLZINGER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 5:18 PM MDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
COZ002-004-011-190100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
515 PM MDT SATURDAY AUG 18 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF DENVER WEAKENING AS THEY MOVE EASTWARD...

AT 510PM THERE WERE SEVERAL THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS
WEST OF DENVER.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR JEFFERSON IN PARK
COUNTY...50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENVER.  ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM WAS BETWEEN
BAILY AND CONIFER ALONG THE PARK AND JEFFERSON COUNTY LINE 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DENVER.

BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS CAN
BE EXPECTED IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS WITH A FEW OF THE STRONGER
THUNDERSTORMS.  LOCALLY 1/2 INCH TO 1 INCH OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE.
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD REACH DENVER AND OTHER CITIES ALONG THE
FRONT RANGE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.  RAINFALL WOULD BE LIGHT
...LESS THAN 1/4 INCH.  LIGHTNING IS THE MAIN DANGER WITH THESE
STORMS.  MOVE INDOORS OR STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE IF ONE OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHES YOUR AREA.

HOLZINGER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 6:37 PM MDT, 53 minutes before
COZ002-004-011-190100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
635 PM MDT SATURDAY AUG 18 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE DENVER AREA...

AT 630PM SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN THE DENVER AREA.
RAINFALL SHOULD BE LIGHT...GENERALLY LESS THAN 1/4 INCH.  HOWEVER...A
BRIEF HEAVY SHOWER PRODUCING 1/2 INCH OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE...NOT ENOUGH
TO CAUSE ANY FLOODING.  LIGHTNING IS THE MAIN DANGER WITH THESE
THUNDERSTORMS.  WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE GUSTING TO
BRIEFLY TO 40 MPH.

FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY...EITHER STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE OR MOVE INDOORS IF
THREATENING WEATHER IS IN YOUR AREA.

THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE DECREASING AGAIN BY 8PM...ENDIN5G LATER THIS
EVENING.

HOLZINGER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 6:56 PM MDT, 34 minutes before
COZ011-190130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
655 PM MDT SATURDAY AUG 18 1990

...HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE DENVER AREA...

AT 650PM THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED OVER THE CITY OF DENVER.  REPORTS
WERE BEING RECEIVED FROM THE CHERRY CREEK SHOPPING CENTER OF HEAVY RAIN
AND MARBLE SIZED HAIL.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD THE EAST AT 10 MPH.
RAINFALL COULD REACH THE 1 TO 2 INCH RANGE IN EASTERN DENVER AND THE
EASTERN DENVER METRO AREA INCLUDING AURORA.  THE WEST SIDE OF THE METRO
AREA IS LESS LIKELY TO GET HEAVY RAIN.

IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED.

THUNDERSTORMS SHOUL^D BE DECREASING AFTER 8PM THIS EVENING.  MOVE TO A
PLACE OF SAFETY IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN YOUR AREA.

HOLZINGER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 7:21 PM MDT, 9 minutes before
COZ011-190145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
720 PM MDT SATURDAY AUG 18 1990

...HEAVY RAIN IN THE DENVER AREA...

AT 715PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN OVER THE CITY OF
DENVER...NORTHEAST AURORA...AND THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS.  A FEW AREAS
ACROSS THE CENTRAL...EASTERN...AND SOUTHERN METRO DISTRICTS COULD
GET 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN CAUSING AREAS OF STREET FLOODING.  SMALL
HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE DECREASING AFTER 8PM THIS EVENING.  MOVE TO A
PLACE OF SAFETY IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN YOUR AREA.

HOLZINGER

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Colorado, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.