Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 6, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

May 26, 1990Washington County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 26, 1990, 5:07 PM MDT for Washington County, Colorado. It was in force for 30 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 26, 1990, 5:07 PM MDT (23:07 UTC)
Expired
May 26, 1990, 5:37 PM MDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties

County Washington County, CO

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 26, 5:25 PM MDTThunderstorm Wind 52Washington, CO

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 11 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 1990-05-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 77 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 1990-05-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -66 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
77 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-113 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
751 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-66 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
78 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDEN 262309
SVRDEN
COC121-262337-

BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
507 PM MDT SAT MAY 26 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 537 PM  MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL COLORADO:

     SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TOWNS/CITIES:

     COPE

AT 505 PM MDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 
13 MILES NORTHWEST OF COPE...OR 53 MILES NORTHEAST OF LIMON.
THE STORM WAS MOVING VERY LITTLE.

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.

THESE STORMS CAN PRODUCE A TORNADO WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE
WARNING..SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE
OF SAFETY IF ONE IS SPOTTED.

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.  HDO NOT CALL THIS NUMBER FOR INFORMATION.

THALER

LAT..LON  3960 10283 3960 10316 3992 10316 3993 10284

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 26, 2:40 PM MDT, 2 hours 27 minutes before
COZ011-012-262145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
237 PM MDT SAT MAY 26 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING SOUTH AND EAST OF DENVER...

THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN DOUGLAS COUNTY AND SOUTH
CENTRAL ARAPAHOE COUNTY THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON.  THE STRONGEST CELLS
AT 235 MDT WERE LOCATED NEAR SEDALIA...20 MILES SOUTH OF DENVER AND
35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DENVER.

THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 25 MPH WHILE OTHER
STORMS WILL LIKELY BE FORMING SOUTH AND EAST OF DENVER OVER THE NEXT
HOUR OR SO.

PERSONS SOUTH AND EAST OF DENVER IN THE TOWNS OF PARKER...SEDALIA
AND THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF AURORA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKO:UT
FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IF BAD WEATHER
APPROACHES.  IF IN BOATS ON OPEN WATER...GO ASHORE IF LIGHTNING IS
SPOTTED OR THUNDER IS HEARD NEARBY.

THALER
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:04 PM MDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
COZ012-013-262200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
305 PM MDT SAT MAY 26 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR AKRON...

AT 3 PM MDT SATURDAY AFTERNOON RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
NEAR THE TOWN OF AKRON IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.  THE STORM WAS NOT MOVING
MUCH DURING THE LAST 15 MINUTES.

PERSONS IN AND AROUND AKRON SHOULD BE ALERT FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING AS THE STORM PASSES NEAR `THE TOWN DURING
THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.

THALER
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:17 PM MDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
COZ012-013-262200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
310PM MDT SAT MAY 26 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS TO INTENSIFY IN NORTHEAST PLAINS...

AT 3PM MDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE TOWN OF AKRON
COLORADO IN WASHINGTON.  THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SLOWLY EAST AND
IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY BY 3PM MDT NEAR THE WASHINGTON AND YUMA
COUNTY LINES.  THE INTENSIFICATION WILL BE DUE TO THE THUNDERSTORM
ENCOUNTERING A WESTWARD MOVING BAND OF MOIST AIR THAT WAS MOVING
ACROSS YUMA COUNTY.

PERSONS IN EASTERN WASHINGTON AND WESTERN YUMA COUNTIES SHOULD BE
ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SHELTER IF NECESSARY.  WHEN THE THUNDERSTORM INTENSIFIES IT IS
LIKELY TO PRODUCE BRIEF RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND PERHAPS
SOME LARGE HAILSTONES.

END...GCF...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:19 PM MDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
COZ012-013-262200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
320PM MDT SAT MAY 26 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS TO INTENSIFY IN NORTHEAST PLAINS...

AT 3PM MDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE TOWN OF AKRON
COLORADO IN WASHINGTON.  THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SLOWLY EAST AND
IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY BY 4PM MDT NEAR THE WASHINGTON AND YUMA
COUNTY LINES.  THE INTENSIFICATION WILL BE DUE TO THE THUNDERSTORM
ENCOUNTERING A WESTWARD MOVING BAND OF MOIST AIR THAT WAS MOVING
ACROSS YUMA COUNTY.

PERSONS IN EASTERN WASHINGTON AND WESTERN YUMA COUNTIES SHOULD BE
ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SHELTER IF NECESSARY.  WHEN THE THUNDERSTORM INTENSIFIES IT IS
LIKELY TO PRODUCE BRIEF RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND PERHAPS
SOME LARGE HAILSTONES.

END...GCF...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:50 PM MDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
COZ012-013-262230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
350 PM MDT SAT MAY 26 1990

...THUNDERSTORM CONTINUES OVER WASHINGTON COUNTY...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CONTINUES ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF AKRON THIS
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND IS MOVING ONLY VERY SLOWLY TO THE SOUTHEAST.
DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS STORM TO BE OF MODERATE TO STRONG INTENSITY
AND ALSO INDICATED THAT THE STORM WAS ROTATING...A FEATURE WHICH OFTEN
TIMES DEVELOPS PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF A TORNADO.

PERSONS IN EAST CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY AND EXTREME WESTERN YUMA
COUNTY SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE
OF SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE A GOOD BET WITH THIS
STORM AND A TORNADO IS POSSIBLE.  KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY.

THALER
Special weather statement, May 26, 4:50 PM MDT, 17 minutes before
COZ012-013-270000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
450 PM MDT SAT MAY 26 1990

...THUNDERSTORM CONTINUES OVER WASHINGTON COUNTY...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF AKRON IN
SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON COUNTY AT 445 PM MDT SATURDAY AFTERNOON.  THE
STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 5 MPH.

WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE STORM MAY BE PRODUCING LARGE HAIL.
ADDITIONALLY...STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY 0RAIN ARE LIKELY WITH THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN AND AROUND THE TOWNS OF ELBA...ANTON AND COPE SHOULD BE ON
THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.  SEEK SAFE
SHELTER IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA.

THALER

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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.