Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 166, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

July 23, 1996Douglas County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 23, 1996, 6:44 PM MDT for Douglas County, Colorado. It was in force for 26 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 23, 1996, 6:44 PM MDT (00:44 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 1996, 7:10 PM MDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties

County Douglas County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 61 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:44 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 (KDNR), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 158 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 1996-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 176 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 1996-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 22 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
176 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-91 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1798 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
196 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 240046
SVRDEN
COC035-240110-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
644 PM MDT TUE JUL 23 1996

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 710 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE 
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
     SOUTHEASTERN DOUGLAS

AT 644 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LARKSPUR...OR ABOUT 22 
MILES NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.  1 INCH HAIL 
WAS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM 4.5 MILES WEST OF CASTLE ROCK...AND 
3/4 INCH HAIL NEAR LARKSPUR.  

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

BARJENBRUCH

LAT...LON 3913 10466 3913 10478 3918 10478 3926 10466

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, Jul 23, 2:14 PM MDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
COZ038>047-049-240300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
212 PM MDT TUE JUL 23 1996

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 9 PM MDT...

THE TORNADO WATCH INCLUDES AREAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM JUST SOUTH OF
CHEYENNE TO YUMA AND WRAY.  IT INCLUDES FORT COLLINS...GREELEY...
FORT MORGAN...THE DENVER METRO AREA...CASTLE ROCK...LIMON...AND
AKRON.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...MOVE INDOORS AND STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.  IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED...
GO IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR BASEMENT.

BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 2:28 PM MDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before
COZ038>047-049-240300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
230 PM MDT TUE JUL 23 1996

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 9 PM MDT...

AT 230 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA
OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN WELD AND EXTREME EASTERN
LARIMER COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM
PLATTEVILLE TO NEAR GREELEY.  THESE STORMS CONTAINED MARBLE SIZED
HAIL AND EXTREMELY HEAVY DOWNPOURS.  MINOR STREET AND SMALL STREAM
FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED AS BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAIN WILL
OCCUR WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...MBOVE INDOORS AND STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.  IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED...
GO IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR BASEMENT.

BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 3:59 PM MDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
COZ038>047-049-240300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
400 PM MDT TUE JUL 23 1996

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST COLORADO
UNTIL 9 PM MDT...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO MOVE ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO
EARLY THIS EVENING.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE MOVING INTO EASTERN
WELD AND MORGAN COUNTIES...AND ALSO ACROSS SOUTHERN LARIMER COUNTY.
THESE STORMS CONTAINED MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND EXTREMELY HEAVY
DOWNPOURS.  1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL PRODUCE MINOR STREET AND
SMALL STREAM FLOODING.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...MOVE INDOORS AND STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.  IF A TORNADO IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED...
GO IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR BASEMENT.

BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 4:19 PM MDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
COZ041-045-046-232245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
417 PM MDT TUE JUL 23 1996

...THUNDERSTORM IN NORTHWESTERN ELBERT COUNTY...

AT 415 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF KIOWA...OR ABOUT 35 MILES WEST OF
LIMON.  THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR COUNTRY GARDENS AND KIOWA SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD
WEATHER APPROACHES.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEASTERN
COLORADO UNTIL 900 PM TMDT.

ET
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 5:49 PM MDT, 55 minutes before
COZ036-040-240015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
551 PM MDT TUE JUL 23 1996

...THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY...

AT 539 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TINY TOWN...OR ABOUT 15 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DENVER.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND IF IT CONTINUES ON ITS
PRESENT COURSE IT SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE BUFFALO
CREEK AREA THROUGH 615 PM MDT.  PERSONS AROUND TINY TOWN AND EAST OF
ASPEN SPRINGS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.  RADAR
INDICATES THAT UP TO .75 INCH OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN FROM THIS
STORM IN CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY.

HEAVY RAINS MAY 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
RtISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO
UNTIL 900 PM MDT.

ET
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 6:30 PM MDT, 14 minutes before
COZ047-240100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
628 PM MDT TUE JUL 23 1996

...THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY...

AT 626 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES NORTH OF WILD HORSE POINT...OR ABOUT 43 MILES
NORTH OF LA JUNTA.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR FORDER...KARVAL AND WILD HORSE POINT SHOULD BE ON
THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF
BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.  FURTHERMORE...TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED
WITH STORMS THAT OCCURRED EARLIERD IN CENTRAL LINCOLN AND SOUTHEAST
ELBERT COUNTIES SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TORNADOES AS WELL.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO
UNTIL 900 PM MDT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 23, 6:09 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUDouglas36 min
Jul 24, 4:30 AM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUPhillips, Sedgwick30 min
Jul 24, 5:01 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULincoln44 min
Jul 24, 5:49 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULarimer, Weld56 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Colorado, 1996Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1996

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.