Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 46, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

July 23, 1993Washington County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at Jul 23, 1993, 9:00 PM MDT for Washington County, Colorado. It was in force for 45 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 23, 1993, 9:00 PM MDT (03:00 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 1993, 9:45 PM MDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties

County Washington County, CO

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 00:00Z, 3.0 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 00:00Z on 1993-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 380 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 00:00Z on 1993-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -94 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
380 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-100 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2185 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-94 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDEN 240256
TORDEN
COC121-240345-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
900 PM MDT FRI JUL 23 1993

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 945 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES

IN NORTHEASTERN COLORADO
     CENTRAL WASHINGTON

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     ANTON...ELBA...OTIS AND PLATNER

AT 857 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
A POSSIBLE TORNADO 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ELBA ...OR ABOUT 54
MILES SOUTH OF STERLING. THIS STORM HAS ALSO PRODUCED UP TO 2 INCH
SIZED HAIL AS IT MOVE EAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH. THIS STORM MAY ALSO RESULT
IN STRAIGHT LINE WINDS UP TO 100 MPH. 

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT.  GET
UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.  IF NO
BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE
BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET.  USE
BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY
FROM WINDOWS.

IMY
LAT...LON 3973 10285 3976 10329 4016 10330 4017 10280

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Jul 23, 3:40 PM MDT, 5 hours 20 minutes before
COZ011-012-232215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
340 PM MDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN EXTREME SOUTH CENTRAL ADAMS COUNTY...

AT 330 PM MDT...RADAR INDICATED A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM ABOUT
5 MILES NORTH OF THE TOWN OF STRASBURG...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

HEAVY RAIN...INTENSE LIGHTNING WILL BE LIKELY AND STRONG WINDS OR HAIL
WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM THROUGH 415 PM AS IT MOVES ALONG OR
JUST NORTH OF HIGHWAY 36 BETWEEN STRASBURG AND HOYT.

IF YOU ARE IN THIS AREA...BE READY TO TAKE COVER.  TUNE INTO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.

DULONG
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 3:58 PM MDT, 5 hours 2 minutes before
COZALL-240400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
400 PM MDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...SNOW NORTHERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY...

A STRONG SUMMER STORM WILL SPREAD WIND...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.  AS FREEZING LEVELS
LOWER RAIN WILL LIKELY CHANGE TO SNOW ABOVE 10 THOUSAND FEET OVER THE
NORTHERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY.  SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.  GUSTY WEST TO SOUTHWEST
WINDS AT 15 TO 30 MPH OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS WILL PRODUCE VERY COLD WIND
CHILL TEMPERATURES OF ZERO TO 10 ABOVE ZERO.

ALL PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN OR PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES INCLUDING
HIKING...CAMPING AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBING OVER THE NORTHERN COLORADO
MOUNTAINS...INCLUDING ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK...LATE TONIGHT AND
EARLY SATURDAY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR UNUSUALLY COLD WEATHER AND LIGHT
SNOW AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 10 THOUSAND FEET.  WARM CLOTHING WILL BE NEEDED
FOR ALL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.

THE LIGHT SNOW SHOULD MELT ON WARM HIGHWAY SURFACES AND NOT POSE A
HAZARD TO TRAVEL ON THE MAJOR MOUNTAIN PASSES WEST AND NORTHWEST
OF DENVER.

GARD...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 4:00 PM MDT, 5 hours before
COZALL-240400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
400 PM MDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...SNOW NORTHERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY...

A STRONG SUMMER STORM WILL SPREAD WIND...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.  AS FREEZING LEVELS
LOWER RAIN WILL LIKELY CHANGE TO SNOW ABOVE 10 THOUSAND FEET OVER THE
NORTHERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY.  SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.  GUSTY WEST TO SOUTHWEST
WINDS AT 15 TO 30 MPH OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS WILL PRODUCE VERY COLD WIND
CHILL TEMPERATURES OF ZERO TO 10 ABOVE ZERO.

ALL PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN OR PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES INCLUDING
HIKING...CAMPING AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBING OVER THE NORTHERN COLORADO
MOUNTAINS...INCLUDING ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK...LATE TONIGHT AND
EARLY SATURDAY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR UNUSUALLY COLD WEATHER AND LIGHT
SNOW AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 10 THOUSAND FEET.  WARM CLOTHING WILL BE NEEDED
FOR ALL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.

THE LIGHT SNOW SHOULD MELT ON WARM HIGHWAY SURFACES AND NOT POSE A
HAZARD TO TRAVEL ON THE MAJOR MOUNTAIN PASSES WEST AND NORTHWEST
OF DENVER.

GARD...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 8:04 PM MDT, 56 minutes before
COZ012-013-240400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
810 PM MDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH AREA CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WELD
COUNTY.  THIS MEANS THAT GREELEY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE
NO LONGER IN THE WATCH AREA.

THE TORNADO WATCH IS CONTINUING UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...CENTRAL AND EASTERN ADAMS...CENTRAL AND EASTERN ARAPAHOE...
LOGAN...MORGAN...PHILLIPS...SEDGWICK...WASHINGTON...NORTHEASTERN
WELD...YUMA...NORTHERN ELBERT...NORTHERN KIT CARSON...AND EXTREME
NORTHERN LINCOLN.

CITIES AND TOWNS STILL IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE...KIOWA...DEER TRAIL...
BENNETT..WRAY...AKRON..
.FORT MORGAN...HOLYOKE...AND STERLING.

IF YOU ARE IN THE TORNADO WATCH AREA...REMAIN ALERT FOR THE
POSSIBILITIES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...STRONG
DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOS.

HOLZINGER
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 8:05 PM MDT, 55 minutes before
COZ011>012-240230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
810 PM MDT FRI JUL 23 1993

AT 808 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING FROM NORTHWEST WASHINGTON
COUNTY INTO EXTREME SOUTHEAST MORGAN COUNTY THEN SOUTHWESTWARD
INTO NORTHEAST ADAMS AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARAPAHOE COUNTIES.
AT THIS TIME...THE STORMS IN EASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY MOVING INTO
WESTERN YUMA COUNTY ARE MUCH MORE INTENSE.

THIS LINE OF STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO SLOWLY INTENSIFY AS THEY
MOVE EAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH.

LAT...LON 3985 10338 3954 10464 4007 10367 4041 10325
IMY
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 8:10 PM MDT, 50 minutes before
COZ012-013-240400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
810 PM MDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...PART OF TORNADO WATCH AREA CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL WELD
COUNTY.  THIS MEANS THAT GREELEY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE
NO LONGER IN THE WATCH AREA.

THE TORNADO WATCH IS CONTINUING UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...CENTRAL AND EASTERN ADAMS...CENTRAL AND EASTERN ARAPAHOE...
LOGAN...MORGAN...PHILLIPS...SEDGWICK...WASHINGTON...NORTHEASTERN
WELD...YUMA...NORTHERN ELBERT...NORTHERN KIT CARSON...AND EXTREME
NORTHERN LINCOLN.

CITIES AND TOWNS STILL IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE...KIOWA...DEER TRAIL...
BENNETT..WRAY...AKRON...FORT MORGAN...HOLYOKE...AND STERLING.

IF YOU ARE IN THE TORNADO WATCH AREA...REMAIN ALERT FOR THE
POSSIBILITIES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...STRONG
DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOS.

HOLZINGER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 23, 6:32 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUMorgan, Washington28 min
Jul 23, 6:59 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUWashington46 min
Jul 23, 7:31 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUWashington29 min
Jul 23, 8:00 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUWashington, Yuma30 min
Jul 23, 8:20 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUWashington25 min
Jul 23, 8:29 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUWashington31 min
Jul 23, 8:33 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUYuma27 min
Jul 23, 8:52 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUYuma38 min
Jul 23, 9:18 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUWashington27 min
Jul 23, 9:38 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUYuma52 min
Jul 23, 9:38 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUYuma52 min
Jul 23, 9:45 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUWashington60 min
Jul 23, 9:45 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUWashington60 min
Jul 23, 10:30 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUYuma30 min
Jul 23, 10:40 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUWashington, Yuma3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 1993Every tornado warning in 1993Tornadoes in 1993

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.