Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 1996
Tornado Warning 8, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at May 30, 1996, 4:09 PM MDT for Washington County, Colorado. It was in force for 36 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 30, 1996, 4:09 PM MDT (22:09 UTC)
- Expired
- May 30, 1996, 4:45 PM MDT
- In force
- 36 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties
County Washington County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:11 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 4:25 PM MDT | Tornado F3 | Elba, 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 104 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -437 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1441 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 29 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 82 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 47 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KDEN 302210
TORDEN
COC121-302245-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
409 PM MDT THU MAY 30 1996
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 445 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES
IN NORTHEASTERN COLORADO
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
AKRON...ELBA AND PLATNER
AT 409 PM MDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM WITH A POSSIBLE TORNADO 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF ELBA
...OR ABOUT 43 MILES SOUTH OF STERLING.
THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH AND WILL BE NEAR AKRON BY
420 PM.
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 NPEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE IN DENVER.
KLEYLA
LAT...LON 3989 10303 3985 10337 4018 10339 4029 10302What 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, May 30, 10:41 AM MDT, 5 hours 28 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-310600-
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1040 AM MDT THU MAY 30 1996
THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COLORADO COUNTIES
ADAMS ARAPAHOE BOULDER CLEAR CREEK DENVER DOUGLAS
ELBERT GILPIN GRAND JACKSON JEFFERSON LARIMER
LINCOLN LOGAN MORGAN PARK PHILLIPS SEDGWICK
SUMMIT WASHINGTON WELD
SYNOPSIS: THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF
NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LATE THIS MORNING
CONDITIONS WERE BECOMING MORE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO. A DENVER
CYCLONE WILL DEVELOP BY THIS AFTERNOON AND SERVE AS A FOCUS FOR
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOMENT AFTER 3 PM MAINLY EAST OF A LINE FROM GREELEY TO
DENVER TO CASTLE ROCK. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING MAY PRODUCE VERY LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW
TORNADOES. IN ADDITION VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES MAY OCCUR
IN A FEW LOCATIONS WHICH MAY PRODUCE SOME FLASH FLOODING PROBLEMS AS
WELL.
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER 3 PM IN THE URBAN
CORRIDOR AND OVER THE NORTHEAST PLAINS AFTER 5 PM.
AN UPDATED OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED BY 2 PM.
KLEYLA
[Special weather statement, May 30, 1:51 PM MDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-310600-
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
145 PM MDT THU MAY 30 1996
THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COLORADO COUNTIES
ADAMS ARAPAHOE BOULDER CLEAR CREEK DENVER DOUGLAS
ELBERT GILPIN GRAND JACKSON JEFFERSON LARIMER
LINCOLN LOGAN MORGAN PARK PHILLIPS SEDGWICK
SUMMIT WASHINGTON WELD
SYNOPSIS: THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON THE ATMOSPHERE OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO WAS BECOMING MORE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. A SURFACE BOUNDARY WAS
DEVELOPING FROM AROUND GREELEY TO JUST EAST OF DENVER AND WILL LIKELY
BECOME A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AFTER 3 PM. MEANWHILE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND NORTHERN
FOOTHILLS DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN AREAS
OF THE URBAN CORRIDOR BY 3 PM. THE HIGEST THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE OVER THE EASTERN AREAS OF THE
URBAN CORRIDOR FROM EAST OF FORT COLLINS TO DENVER TO CASTLE ROCK
EXTENDING INTO THE NORTHEAST PLAINS. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
PRODUCE VERY LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES. IN
ADDITION VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES MAY OCCUR IN A FEW
LOCATIONS WHICH MAY PRODUCE SOME FLASH FLOODING PROBLEMS AS WELL.
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER 3 PM IN THE URBAN
CORRIDOR AND OVER THE NORTHEAST PLAINS AFTER 5 PM.
KLEYLA
[Special weather statement, May 30, 2:25 PM MDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-302130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 225 PM MDT THU MAY 30 1996 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 900 PM MDT... A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 900 PM MDT. THE ATMOSPHERE OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION IN THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS. AT 220 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING FROM WEST OF FORT COLLINS TO WEST OF BOULDER IN THE FOOTHILLS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. KLEYLA
Special weather statement, May 30, 2:53 PM MDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
COZ038>050-302145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 251 PM MDT THU MAY 30 1996 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 900 PM MDT... AT 245 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS SOUTHWEST OF AKRON NEAR WOODROW. THESE STORMS WERE INTENSIFYING RAPIDLY AND MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THE ATMOSPHERE OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO IS VERY UNSTABLE AND ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS LIKELY IN THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS. KLEYLA
Special weather statement, May 30, 3:21 PM MDT, 48 minutes before
COZ038>050-302200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 320 PM MDT THU MAY 30 1996 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 900 PM MDT... AT 315 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTHWEST OF STERLING TO EAST OF FORT MORGAN. ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AKRON. THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...GUSTY WINDtS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. KLEYLA
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 6:21 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Weld | 24 min |
| May 29, 6:30 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Boulder, Larimer | 30 min |
| May 29, 7:00 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Boulder, Larimer, Weld | 30 min |
| May 30, 3:54 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Logan, Morgan, Weld | 51 min |
| May 30, 4:36 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Morgan, Weld | 24 min |
| May 30, 4:40 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Washington | 35 min |
| May 30, 4:51 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Elbert, Lincoln | 54 min |
| May 30, 4:52 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Logan, Morgan, Weld | 38 min |
| May 30, 5:11 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Washington | 34 min |
| May 30, 5:30 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Morgan | 30 min |
| May 30, 5:41 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Washington | 34 min |
| May 30, 5:43 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Lincoln | 62 min |
| May 30, 5:46 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Phillips | 44 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 1996Every tornado warning in 1996Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.