Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

July 16, 1994Larimer County, Weld County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at Jul 16, 1994, 5:00 PM MDT for Larimer County, Weld County, Colorado. It was in force for 30 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 16, 1994, 5:00 PM MDT (23:00 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 1994, 5:30 PM MDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties

Counties Larimer County, CO, Weld County, CO

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 12:00Z, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 166 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 1994-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 26 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 1994-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 17 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
26 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-553 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1654 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
17 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
22 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 162301
TORDEN
COC069-123-162330-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
500 PM MDT SAT JUL 16 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 530 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES

IN NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
     EASTERN LARIMER

IN NORTHEASTERN COLORADO
     WEST CENTRAL WELD

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     AULT...BARNESVILLE...BELLVUE...EATON...EVANS...FORT COLLINS
     ...GALETON...GARDEN CITY...GILL...GREELEY...HARMONY...
     KERSEY...LA SALLE...LIVERMORE...LOVELAND...LUCERNE...
     MASONVILLE...MILLIKEN...PECKHAM...PIERCE...PURCELL...
     RIVERSIDE RESERVOIR...SEVERANCE...TEDS PLACE...TIMNATH...
     WELLINGTON AND WINDSOR

AT 458 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
A POSSIBLE TORNADO VERY CLOSE TO FORT COLLINS.  AT 458PM 1 1/2 INCH
HAIL WAS REPORTED JUST NORTHEAST OF FORT COLLINS.

THE STORM WAS MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTH SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS CONTINUES TO BE A LARGE DANGEROUS STORM.

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.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE IN DENVER.

HOLZINGER

LAT...LON 4020 10420 4039 10519 4079 10527 4056 10426

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 16, 11:15 AM MDT, 5 hours 45 minutes before
COZ015-030>050-067-071-072-170600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1115 AM MDT SAT JUL 16 1994

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COLORADO COUNTIES

ADAMS      ARAPAHOE     BOULDER    CLEAR CREEK    DENVER       DOUGLAS
ELBERT     EL PASO      GILPIN     GRAND          JACKSON      JEFFERSON
LAKE       LARIMER      LINCOLN    LOGAN          MORGAN       PARK
PHILLIPS   SEDGWICK     SUMMIT     TELLER         WASHINGTON   WELD

CONDITIONS HAVE BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY
VERSUS FRIDAY.  A WEAK FRONT HAS PUSHED INTO THE NORTHEAST PLAINS...
SHIFTING WINDS TO AN EASTERLY DIRECTION AND KEEPING MOISTURE LEVELS
FAIRLY HIGH.

A LINE OF STORMS HAD MOVED THROUGH THE AREA LATE YESTERDAY MORNING
WHICH STABILIZED THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH A GOOD PART OF THE AFTERNOON
...EXCEPT FOR OVER LARIMER COUNTY.  THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE TODAY..
SO THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BECOME SCATTERED OVER MORE OF THE AREA A LITTLE
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING
ESPECIALLY FROM THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE TOWARDS THE EASTERN BORDER
AREAS.  LARGE HAIL AND EVEN ISOLATED TORNADOES COULD OCCUR.

FOR DENVER...THERE WILL ONLY BE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
MAINLY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS.

SPOTTERS COULD BE NEEDED IN NORTHEAST COLORADO.

DULONG
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 11:16 AM MDT, 5 hours 44 minutes before
COZ015-030>050-067-071-072-170600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1115 AM MDT SAT JUL 16 1994

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COLORADO COUNTIES

ADAMS      ARAPAHOE     BOULDER    CLEAR CREEK    DENVER       DOUGLAS
ELBERT     EL PASO      GILPIN     GRAND          JACKSON      JEFFERSON
LAKE       LARIMER      LINCOLN    LOGAN          MORGAN       PARK
PHILLIPS   SEDGWICK     SUMMIT     TELLER         WASHINGTON   WELD

CONDITIONS HAVE BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY
VERSUS FRIDAY.  A WEAK FRONT HAS PUSHED INTO THE NORTHEAST PLAINS...
SHIFTING WINDS TO AN EASTERLY DIRECTION AND KEEPING MOISTURE LEVELS
FAIRLY HIGH.

A LINE OF STORMS HAD MOVED THROUGH THE AREA LATE YESTERDAY MORNING
WHICH STABILIZED THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH A GOOD PART OF THE AFTERNOON
...EXCEPT FOR OVER LARIMER COUNTY.  THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE TODAY..
SO THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BECOME SCATTERED OVER MORE OF THE AREA A LITTLE
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING
ESPECIALLY FROM THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE TOWARDS THE EASTERN BORDER
AREAS.  LARGE HAIL AND ELVEN ISOLATED TORNADOES COULD OCCUR.

FOR DENVER...THERE WILL ONLY BE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
MAINLY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS.

SPOTTERS COULD BE NEEDED IN NORTHEAST COLORADO.

DULONG
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 1:24 PM MDT, 3 hours 36 minutes before
COZ041-162000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
125 PM MDT SAT JUL 16 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DOUGLAS COUNTY...

AT 120 PM...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF
CASTLE ROCK MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH AND WILL LIKELY MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST
DOUGLAS COUNTY BY 200 PM MDT.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...ESPECIALLY IN OR NEAR THE TOWNS
OF LARKSPUR...CASTLE ROCK AND FRANKTOWN...BE READY  FOR WINDS GUSTING
TO 40 MPH...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BRIEF HEAVY RAIN OR HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ANY UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

DULONG
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 3:10 PM MDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
COZ038-042-162215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
310 PM MDT SAT JUL 16 1994

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM HEADING TOWARDS LARIMER AND WELD COUNTIES...

A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST ACROSS THE BORDER IN WYOMING WILL LIKELY
MOVE INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST LARIMER AND NORTHWEST WELD COUNTIES OF
COLORADO BY 330 PM.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...ESPECIALLY IN OR NEAR THE
COLORADO TOWNS OF VIRGINIA DALE...LIVERMORE...NORFOLK...WARREN...
WELLINGTON OR NUNN...BE READY TO TAKE COVER FROM THREATENING WEATHER
FROM NOW THROUGH 415 PM.

A WARNING MAY BE ISSUED FOR THIS STORM SHORTLY.

DULONG
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 3:12 PM MDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
COZ038-042-162215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
310 PM MDT SAT JUL 16 1994

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM HEADING TOWARDS LARIMER AND WELD COUNTIES...

A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST ACROSS THE BORDER IN WYOMING WILL LIKELY
MOVE INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST LARIMER AND NORTHWEST WELD COUNTIES OF
COLORADO BY 330 PM.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...ESPECIALLY IN OR NEAR THE
COLORADO TOWNS OF VIRGINIA DALE...LIVERMORE...NORFOLK...WARREN...
WELLINGTON OR NUNN...BE READY TO TAKE COVER FROM THREATENING WEATHER
FROM NOW THROUGH 415 PM.

A WARNING MAY BE ISSUED FOR THIS STORM SHORTLY.

DULONG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 15, 6:06 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUDouglas39 min
Jul 16, 3:22 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULarimer, Weld38 min
Jul 16, 4:04 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULarimer, Weld26 min
Jul 16, 4:30 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULarimer, Weld30 min
Jul 16, 5:30 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULarimer, Weld45 min
Jul 16, 5:52 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUAdams, Morgan53 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.