Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 20, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

October 5, 1994Elbert County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at Oct 5, 1994, 6:03 PM MDT for Elbert County, Colorado. It was in force for 27 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Oct 5, 1994, 6:03 PM MDT (00:03 UTC)
Expired
Oct 5, 1994, 6:30 PM MDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties

County Elbert County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:06 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 101 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 1994-10-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 656 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 1994-10-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 87 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
656 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-62 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1878 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
87 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
86 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDEN 060005
TORDEN
COC039-060030-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
603 PM MDT WED OCT 05 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 630 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES

IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO
     NORTHEASTERN ELBERT

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     AGATE

AT 603 PM MDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF AGATE ...OR ABOUT 12 MILES
NORTHWEST OF LIMON.  AMATEUR RADIO WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO
WITH THIS STORM.

THE TORNADO WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 25 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.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER.  IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN
THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH
YOUR HANDS.

RTG
LAT...LON 3934 10373 3927 10401 3956 10400 3955 10372

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, Oct 5, 4:05 PM MDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
COZALL-052300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
405 PM MDT WED OCT 5 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AT 357 PM INDICATED A
STRENGTHENING STORM MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.  THE STORM
WAS LOCATED 18 MILES SOUTH OF RUSH...OR 37 MILES EAST OF COLORADO
SPRINGS.  THIS STORM WILL CONTAIN HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS.  RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWESTERN LINCOLN COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO
TAKE COVER IF NECESSARY.  A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH
OF EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 10 PM.

RTG
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 4:06 PM MDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
COZALL-052300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
405 PM MDT WED OCT 5 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AT 357 PM INDICATED A
STRENGTHENING STORM MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.  THE STORM
WAS LOCATED 18 MILES SOUTH OF RUSH...OR 37 MILES EAST OF COLORADO
SPRINGS.  THIS STORM WILL CONTAIN HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS.  RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWESTERN LINCOLN COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO
TAKE COVER IF NECESSARY.  A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH
OF EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 10 PM.

RTG
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 4:34 PM MDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
COZ046>047-052315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
435 PM MDT WED OCT 05 1994

AT 431 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
A THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES WEST OF KUTCH ...OR ABOUT 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF LIMON.  THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN ELBERT COUNTY SHOULD TAKE COVER UNTIL THE STORM
PASSES.  THE STORM WILL CONTAIN HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS.

A TORNADO WATCH RLEMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 1000PM MDT.
  REMEMBER STORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

RTG

LAT...LON 3915 10374 3890 10375 3890 10402 3913 10407
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 4:35 PM MDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
COZ046>047-052315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
435 PM MDT WED OCT 05 1994

AT 431 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
A THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES WEST OF KUTCH ...OR ABOUT 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF LIMON.  THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN ELBERT COUNTY SHOULD TAKE COVER UNTIL THE STORM
PASSES.  THE STORM WILL CONTAIN HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 1000PM MDT.
  REMEMBER STORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

RTG

LAT...LON 3915 10374 3890 10375 3890 10402 3913 10407
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 5:46 PM MDT, 17 minutes before
COZ040>041-060015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
546 PM MDT WED OCT 05 1994

...BRIEF HEAVY RAINS OVER THE EASTERN METRO AREA...

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT SWEPT ACROSS THE DENVER METRO AREA AFTER
500 PM WAS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINSHOWERS EXTENDING FROM THORNTON AND
NORTHGLENN SOUTHWARD THROUGH AURORA AT 540 PM.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AT 20 MPH.

THE STORMS SHOULD MOVE EAST OF THE METRO AREA BY 600 PM.

HEAVY RAINS MAY TEMPORARILY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES.  AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS AS THEY
MAY BE WASHED OUT.  WATER LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO
RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL
1000PM MDT.

DANKERS
LAT...LON 3924 10465 3934 10491 3999 10507 3998 10468
Special weather statement, Oct 5, 5:47 PM MDT, 16 minutes before
COZ040>041-060015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
546 PM MDT WED OCT 05 1994

...BRIEF HEAVY RAINS OVER THE EASTERN METRO AREA...

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT SWEPT ACROSS THE DENVER METRO AREA AFTER
500 PM WAS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINSHOWERS EXTENDING FROM THORNTON AND
NORTHGLENN SOUTHWARD THROUGH AURORA AT 540 PM.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AT 20 MPH.

THE STORMS SHOULD MOVE EAST OF THE METRO AREA BY 600 PM.

HEAVY RAINS MAY TEMPORARILY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES.  AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS AS THEY
MAY BE WASHED OUT.  WATER LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO
RISE...THEREFORE SBEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL
1000PM MDT.

DANKERS
LAT...LON 3924 10465 3934 10491 3999 10507 3998 10468

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 5, 7:05 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUArapahoe, Elbert, Lincoln25 min
Oct 5, 7:05 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUWashington25 min
Oct 5, 7:26 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULincoln24 min
Oct 5, 7:29 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUAdams, Logan, Morgan, Washington, Weld46 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.