Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 221, NWS Pueblo, CO

August 17, 1996Pueblo County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 17, 1996, 9:23 PM MDT for Pueblo County, Colorado. It was in force for 62 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 17, 1996, 9:23 PM MDT (03:23 UTC)
Expired
Aug 17, 1996, 10:25 PM MDT
In force
62 min
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO
Area
Whole counties

County Pueblo County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 43 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:25 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 17, 9:28 PM MDTHail 0.75Beulah, 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 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 219 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 1996-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 15 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 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 1996-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 23 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 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
15 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3616 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
23 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
65 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 KPUB 180322
SVRPUB
COC101-180425-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
923 PM MDT SAT AUG 17 1996

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
  PUEBLO COUNTY      IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO

* UNTIL 1025 PM MDT
 
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED
    BEULAH BY 930 PM MDT

* AT 922 PM MDT RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE STORM 1 MILE NORTH OF BEULAH
  MOVING SOUTH-SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FOLLOW UP STATEMENTS AND
WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO.

A FOLLOW UP STATEMENT WITH MORE DETAILS WILL BE OUT SHORTLY.

JK

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, Aug 17, 5:16 PM MDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before
COZ070-180020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
516 PM MDT SAT AUG 17 1996

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER CUSTER COUNTY...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS CUSTER COUNTY THROUGH 615
PM MDT.  AT 516 PM MDT PUEBLO DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WESTCLIFFE...OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
ALONG HIGHWAY 96 BETWEEN WESTCLIFFE AND HIGHWAY 165 IN CUSTER COUNTY.
THESE THUNDLERSTORMS WERE NEARLY STATIONARY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS CAN BRING DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND SOME MAY PRODUCE
1/2 INCH DIAMETER OR SMALLER HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MPH AND VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL.

JK
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 5:52 PM MDT, 3 hours 31 minutes before
COZ065-067-068-180055-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
552 PM MDT SAT AUG 17 1996

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER FREMONT AND TELLER COUNTIES...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS WESTERN FREMONT
AND WESTERN TELLER COUNTIES.  AT 550 PM MDT PUEBLO DOPPLER RADAR
INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 2 MILES NORTH OF SALIDA AND 3 MILES WEST
OF TEXAS CREEK IN FREMONT COUNTY... AND 12 MILES WEST OF FLORISSANT IN
TELLER COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS CAN BRING DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND SOME MAY
PRODUCE 1/2 INCH DIAMETER OR SMALLER HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40
MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

JKH
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 7:02 PM MDT, 2 hours 21 minutes before
COZ068-070-073-180205-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
702 PM MDT SAT AUG 17 1996

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER FREMONT COUNTY...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE MOVING ALONG HIGHWAY 50 IN FREMONT
COUNTY BETWEEN COTOPAXI AND CANON CITY. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED
TO MOVE INTO THE CANON CITY AREA BY 715 PM.

AT 700 PM MDT PUEBLO DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 5
MILES SOUTHWEST AND 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF CANON CITY AND 3 MILES
NORTHWEST OF TEXAS CREEK. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS CAN BRING DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND SOME MAY
PRODUCE 1/2 INCH DIAMETER OR SMALLER HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40
MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE OR WALK INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY. THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP TO ALLOW YOU TO CROSS
SAFELY. FAST FLOWING WATER ONE AND A HALF FEET DEEP CAN EASILY
FLIP A VEHICLE OVER OR CARRY IT DOWN A CRExEK OR RIVER. WHETHER ON
FOOT OR IN A VEHICLE...FIND HIGHER GROUND DURING HIGH WATER
SITUATIONS. KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM FAST FLOWING WATER.

JKH
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 7:44 PM MDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
COZ068-070-180250-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
745 PM MDT SAT AUG 17 1996

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN CUSTER COUNTY...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 96 IN
NORTHERN CUSTER COUNTY THROUGH 845 PM MDT. AT 745 PM... RADAR INDICATED
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF WESTCLIFFE... MOVING EAST AT
5 MPH.

IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AND KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY. DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN
OCCUR WITH ALL THUNDERSTORMS. IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES... GET
INDOORS OR IN A VEHICLE. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES AWAY
FROM THE STORM...WHERE IT IS NOT RAINING AND WHERE YOU MAY BE.

JKH
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 8:48 PM MDT, 35 minutes before
COZ070-073-180350-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
848 PM MDT SAT AUG 17 1996

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING WESTERN PUEBLO COUNTY...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN PUEBLO COUNTY BETWEEN
HIGHWAY 50 AND HIGHWAY 96 THROUGH 945 PM MDT.  AT 847 PM MDT PUEBLO
DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING 12 MILES
NORTHWEST AND 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN PUEBLO.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 15 MPH.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE DURING A LIGHTNING STORM...FIND A LOW
SPOT. SHELTER YOURSELF UNDER SHORTER TREES. AVOID ISOLATED...TALL
TREES. STAY AWAY FROM WATER...POWER POLES AND METAL OBJECTS...
SUCH AS A FENCE ROW OR GOLF CLUBS. IF IN A GROUP...STAY APART. IF
SOMEONE IS STRUCK...OTHERS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP THE VICTIM.

JK
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 9:07 PM MDT, 16 minutes before
COZ070-073-180355-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
907 PM MDT SAT AUG 17 1996

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING PUEBLO WEST AND BEULAH IN
   PUEBLO COUNTY...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS PUEBLO WEST AND BEULAH THROUGH 940
PM MDT.  AT 907 PM MDT PUEBLO DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF PUEBLO WEST AND 3 MILES
NORTHWEST OF BEULAH.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS CAN BRING DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND MAY PRODUCE 1/2
INCH DIAMETER OR SMALLER HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AROUND 40 MPH AND VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL.

IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AND KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY. DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN
OCCUR WITH ALL THUNDERSTORMS. IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES...GET
INDOORS OR IN A VEHICLE. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES AWAY
FROM THE STORM...WHERE IT IS NOT RAINING AND WHERE YOU MAY BE.

JK

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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.