Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 1996
Tornado Warning 99, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at Aug 29, 1996, 4:25 PM MDT for Morgan County, Weld County, Colorado. It was in force for 35 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
- Aug 29, 1996, 4:25 PM MDT (22:25 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 29, 1996, 5:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 35 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Morgan County, CO, Weld County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 79 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 4:30 PM MDT | Tornado F0 | Kersey, 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, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 95 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
- 12 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -393 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2160 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 27 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 35 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 28 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 292231
TORDEN
COC087-123-292300-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
425 PM MDT THU AUG 29 1996
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
SOUTH CENTRAL WELD AND WESTERN MORGAN
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
GOODRICH...JACKSON RESERVOIR...ORCHARD...RIVERSIDE RESERVOIR AND
WIGGINS
AT 423 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM WITH A POSSIBLE TORNADO 3 MILES SOUTH OF RIVERSIDE
RESERVOIR...OR ABOUT 26 MILES EAST OF GREELEY.
AT 423 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED A PAIR OF FUNNEL CLOUDS WITH THIS
THUNDERSTORM.
THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR.
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 SHEPLTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 8 PM.
LAT...LON 4023 10381 4001 10403 4033 10445 4050 10424
DANKERSWhat 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, Aug 29, 11:03 AM MDT, 5 hours 22 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-300600-
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1100 AM MDT THU AUG 29 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
...CONDITIONS ALL POINT TO SEVERE WEATHER IN NORTHEAST COLORADO THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
SYNOPSIS: A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE SPINNING ON SATELLITE
IMAGERY OVER CENTRAL WYOMING LATE THIS MORNING IS FORECAST TO TRACK
SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
IN ADDITION...AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...A FAVORABLE VERTICAL WIND
PROFILE...AND STRONG HEATING PRODUCING A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE
WILL SET THE STAGE FOR WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
THE NORTHEAST PLAINS AND MONUMENT RIDGE OF COLORADO AFTER 2 PM MDT.
COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS DISTURBANCE WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOP
OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF LARGE DAMAGING HAIL. RAPIDLY DEVELOPING STORMS
MAY ALSO PRODUCE FUNNEL CLOUDS AND TORNADOES AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.
PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...INCLUDING THE DENVER METRO AREA...SHOULD
BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM
LOVELAND IN SOUTHEAST LARIMER COUNTY TO WATKINS IN CENTRAL ADAMS COUNTY.
HOWEVER...AREAS WEST OF THIS LINE MAY ALSO SEE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.
j
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY AS EARLY
AS 1 PM IN LARIMER AND WELD COUNTIES.
BAKER...WSFO DENVERSpecial weather statement, Aug 29, 11:07 AM MDT, 5 hours 18 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-300600- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1100 AM MDT THU AUG 29 1996 ...CORRECTION FOR TYPO... 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 ...CONDITIONS ALL POINT TO SEVERE WEATHER IN NORTHEAST COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... SYNOPSIS: A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE SPINNING ON SATELLITE IMAGERY OVER CENTRAL WYOMING LATE THIS MORNING IS FORECAST TO TRACK SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. IN ADDITION...AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...A FAVORABLE VERTICAL WIND PROFILE...AND STRONG HEATING PRODUCING A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL SET THE STAGE FOR WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PLAINS AND MONUMENT RIDGE OF COLORADO AFTER 2 PM MDT. COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS DISTURBANCE WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF LARGE DAMAGING HAIL. RAPIDLY DEVELOPING STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE FUNNEL CLOUDS AND TORNADOES AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...INCLUDING THE DENVER METRO AREA...SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM LOVELAND IN SOUTHEAST LARIMER COUNTY TO WATKINS IN CENTRAL ADAMS COUNTY. HOWEVER...AREAS WEST OF THIS LINE MAY ALSO SEE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL... STRONG GUS|TY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS 1 PM IN LARIMER AND WELD COUNTIES. BAKER...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Aug 29, 1:45 PM MDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-300600- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 145 PM MDT THU AUG 29 1996 ...UPDATE... 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 ...STRONG WIND CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY PRIMED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS... SYNOPSIS: A WELL DEVELOPED WIND CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY HAS FORMED EAST OF THE DENVER METRO AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS BOUNDARY EXTENDS NORTHEAST FROM CASTLE ROCK IN CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY TO THE JUST EAST OF GREELEY IN EASTERN WELD COUNTY. ALONG AND EAST OF THIS BOUNDARY...THE ATMOSPHERE WAS VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE CONDITIONS. CLOUDS WERE ALREADY DEVELOPING RAPIDLY ALONG THIS BOUNDARY...WITH THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED BY 2:30 PM. LATER THIS AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD WITH THE APPROACH OF A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL WEATHER DISTURBANCE CURRENTLY MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS WYOMING. THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING WILL BE CAPABLE OF LARGE DAMAGING HAIL...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...FUNNEL CLOUDS AND TORNADOES. PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...INCLUDING THE DENVER METRO AREA... SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM GREELEY IN WELD COUNTY TO WATKINS IN CENTRAL ADAMS COUNTY...TO FRANKTOWN IN EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY. HOWEVER...AREAS WEST OF THIS LINE MAY ALSO SEE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL... STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON. BAKER...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Aug 29, 2:34 PM MDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
COZ036-041-292050- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 230 PM MDT THU AUG 29 1996 ...DOPPLER RADAR DETECTING SMALL HAIL FALLING FROM THUNDERSTORMS OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST DOUGLAS COUNTY... AT 225 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES EAST OF WESTCREEK...OR ABOUT 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF COLORADO SPRINGS IN EXTREME SOUTHWEST DOUGLAS COUNTY. DOPPLER RADAR WAS DETECTING SMALL HAIL WITH THIS STORM. THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES PER HOUR AND IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY BY 245 PM MDT. PERSONS IN OR NEAR DECKERS...DEVIL'S HEAD...AND LARKSPUR SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEAZTHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 800 PM MDT. BAKER
Special weather statement, Aug 29, 3:13 PM MDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
COZ041-292130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 310 PM MDT THU AUG 29 1996 ...HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN DETECTED ON RADAR FROM A THUNDERSTORM IN WESTERN ELBERT COUNTY... AT 305 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTH OF KIOWA...OR ABOUT 34 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DENVER. DOPPLER RADAR WAS DETECTING SMALL HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. RADAR HAS ALSO INDICATED SOME STRENGTHENING OF THIS STORM IN THE PAST 10 MINUTES...A THEREFORE MAY BECOME SEVERE AS IT MOVES ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTY. MOVEMENT OF THIS STORM WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR ELIZABETH AND KIOWA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 800 PM MDT. BAKER...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Aug 29, 3:49 PM MDT, 36 minutes before
COZ038-040-042>045-049-292300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 345 PM MDT THU AUG 29 1996 ...SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT HOUR... THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY ACROSS WELD...MORGAN...EASTERN ADAMS AND EASTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTIES AS OF 340 PM MDT. STORMS WERE FORMING ALONG A WELL DEFINED WIND CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY EXTENDING NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA. AT 340 PM MDT THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM INDICATED ON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF HARDIN...OR ABOUT 15 MILES EAST OF GREELEY. MOVEMENT OF STORMS IN WELD AND MORGAN COUNTIES WAS TO THE WEST AT 20 MPH...AND THOSE IN MORGAN...ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES TO THE NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. PEOPLE IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH OR NO WARNING. LARGE DAMAGING HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EASTERN COLORADO UNTIL 800 PM MDT. BAKER...WSFO DENVER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 6:14 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Washington | 31 min |
| Aug 29, 3:25 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Elbert | 45 min |
| Aug 29, 4:00 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Weld | 60 min |
| Aug 29, 4:53 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Elbert | 42 min |
| Aug 29, 5:08 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Weld | 52 min |
| Aug 29, 5:10 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Morgan, Weld | 30 min |
| Aug 29, 5:12 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Logan | 58 min |
| Aug 29, 5:48 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Weld | 118 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.