Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997
Flash Flood Warning 15, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this flash flood warning at Jul 29, 1997, 4:38 PM MDT for Elbert County, Colorado. It was in force for 112 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 29, 1997, 4:38 PM MDT (22:38 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 29, 1997, 6:30 PM MDT
- In force
- 112 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction
County Elbert County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:37 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 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 122 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1052 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 10 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -20 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -8 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 292239 COR
FFWDEN
COC039-300030-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
438 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997
CORRECTED TYPO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 630 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES
IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO
WESTERN ELBERT
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
ELBERT...ELIZABETH AND KIOWA
AT 435 PM MDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS
WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN FROM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF KIOWA...THROUGH
KIOWA...AND THEN TO THE DOUGLAS COUNTY LINE.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING VERY SLOWLY EAST AT 5 MPH. THE STORMS WILL
PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES IN AN HOUR. STORM TOTALS
MAY APPROACH 5 INCHES IN SOME AREAS.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...NORMALLY DRY WASHES AND
ARROYOS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS, ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND.
BARJENBRUCH
LAT...LON 3953 10439 3935 10436 3922 10448 3917 10466
3933 10465What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 29, 1:24 PM MDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
COZ036-040-041-292015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 123 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 CORRECTED HEADLINE ...THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN IN SOUTHERN JEFFERSON AND WESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTIES... AT 120 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM OVER CONIFER...OR ABOUT 23 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENVER. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BUFFALO CREEK...NEAR THE JEFFERSON/DOUGLAS COUNTY LINE. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR. BETWEEN 0.75 AND 1.5 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THESE STORMS IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES. PERSONS IN OR NEAR ASPEN PARK...BUFFALO CREEK...CONIFER... IDLEDALE...INDIAN HILLS...MORRISON...RED ROCKS PARK...ROXBOROUGH PARK...SOUTH PLATTE...SPRUCEWOOD AND TINY TOWN SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. 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 RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS. BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 2:25 PM MDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before
COZ036-041-292130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 225 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN ON THE PARK/JEFFERSON COUNTY LINE... AT 222 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF BAILEY...OR ABOUT 33 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENVER. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE BETWEEN 1 AND 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN IN 45 MINUTES OR LESS. OTHER LESS INTENSE STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN JEFFERSON AND WESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR ASPEN PARK...BAILEY...BROOKVALE...BUFFALO CREEK... CHEESMAN RESERVOIR...CONIFER...DECKERS...DEVILS HEAD...EVERGREEN... PERRY PARK...PINE...ROXBOROUGH PARK...SOUTH PLATTE...SPRUCEWOOD AND WELLINGTON LAKE SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. 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 RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS. BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 2:26 PM MDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
COZ036-041-292130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 225 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN ON THE PARK/JEFFERSON COUNTY LINE... AT 222 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF BAILEY...OR ABOUT 33 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENVER. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE BETWEEN 1 AND 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN IN 45 MINUTES OR LESS. OTHER LESS INTENSE STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN JEFFERSON AND WESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR ASPEN PARK...BAILEY...BROOKVALE...BUFFALO CREEK... CHEESMAN RESERVOIR...CONIFER...DECKERS...DEVIL'S HEAD...EVERGREEN... PERRY PARK...PINE...ROXBOROUGH PARK...SOUTH PLATTE...SPRUCEWOOD AND WELLINGTON LAKE SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. 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 RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS. BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 3:11 PM MDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
COZ036-292215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 311 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN NEAR BUFFALO CREEK IN SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY... AT 308 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN CENTERED 2 MILES SOUTH OF BUFFALO CREEK...OR ABOUT 32 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENVER. THIS STORM WAS BRINGING ABOUT 1 INCH OF RAIN IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS TO THE BUFFALO CREEK BURN AREA. PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDING SPRUCEWOOD AND DEVILS HEAD CAN EXPECT SIMILAR RAINFALL RATES. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR BUFFALO CREEK...DEVILS HEAD...SOUTH PLATTE AND SPRUCEWOOD SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. 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 RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS. BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 3:13 PM MDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
COZ036-292215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 311 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN NEAR BUFFALO CREEK IN SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY... AT 308 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN CENTERED 2 MILES SOUTH OF BUFFALO CREEK...OR ABOUT 32 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENVER. THIS STORM WAS BRINGING ABOUT 1 INCH OF RAIN IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS TO THE BUFFALO CREEK BURN AREA. PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDING SPRUCEWOOD AND DEVILS HEAD CAN EXPECT SIMILAR RAINFALL RATES. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR BUFFALO CREEK...DEVIL'S HEAD...SOUTH PLATTE AND SPRUCEWOOD SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. 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 SM"ALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS. BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 3:50 PM MDT, 48 minutes before
COZ040-041-045-292245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 350 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF HEAVY RAIN AND FUNNEL CLOUDS IN RURAL AREAS JUST EAST OF THE DENVER METRO AREA... AT 345 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS WESTERN ELBERT...AND CENTRAL ARAPAHOE AND ADAMS COUNTIES. THESE STORMS HAD DEVELOPED IN THE PAST HOUR ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY WIND SHIFT BOUNDARY INDICATED ON DOPPLER RADAR. DOPPLER RADAR HAS ESTIMATED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 1 1/2 INCH OF RAIN IN THE PAST HOUR OVER EXTREME NORTHWEST ELBERT AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARAPAHOE COUNTIES. AT 343 PM MDT A SKYWARN STORM SPOTTER REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 6 MILES SOUTH OF BYERS. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BENNETT...OR ABOUT 28 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DENVER. STORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR SOUTHEASTERN AURORA...ARAPAHOE PARK...BENNETT... BYERS...COUNTRY GARDENS...ELIZABETH...FRANKTOWN...KIOWA...LEADER... MANILA VILLAGE...PARKER...PONDEROSA PARK...STRASBURG...THE PINERY AND WATKINS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. FUNNEL CLOUDS...HEAVY RAIN...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS MAY OCCUR WITH THESE STORM. 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 RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS. BAKER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 6:41 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Adams | 2 hr |
| Jul 28, 6:58 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Weld | 2 hr |
| Jul 28, 7:55 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Elbert | 35 min |
| Jul 28, 9:40 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Larimer | 2 hr |
| Jul 29, 3:50 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Arapahoe, Elbert | 40 min |
| Jul 29, 5:37 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Elbert | 113 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 1997Every flash flood warning in 1997
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.