Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997
Flash Flood Warning 23, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this flash flood warning at Jul 29, 1997, 9:20 PM MDT for Morgan County, Colorado. It was in force for 40 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, 9:20 PM MDT (03:20 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 29, 1997, 10:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction
County Morgan County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:22 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, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 67 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
- 154 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -82 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1447 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 19 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 8 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 67 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 300322
FFWDEN
COC087-300400-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
920 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997
...EXTENDING THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN MORGAN COUNTY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD
WARNING FOR PEOPLE IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MORGAN COUNTY OF
NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 1000 PM MDT.
LOCATIONS INCLUDED IN THE WARNING
FORT MORGAN...LOG LANE VILLAGE AND WELDONA
AT 900 PM MDT MORGAN COUNTY OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERD REPORTED
FLASH FLOODING ALONG WILD CAT CREEK 8 MILES NORTH OF FORT MORGAN.
FLOOD WATERS REPORTEDLY COVER PORTIONS OF STATE HIGHWAY 52 JUST
NORTH OF FORT MORGAN. MANY OTHER SMALLER RURAL ROADS IN CENTRAL
MORGAN COUNTY WERE EITHER COVERED WITH FLOOD WATERS OR WASHED OUT.
A STORM SPOTTER 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF FORT MORGAN ALONG COUNTY ROAD
17 REPORTED AT 845 PM MDT FLOOD WATER 2 FEET DEEP COVERING THE
PROPERTY AROUND HIS HOME.
AT 910 PM MDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL OVER CENTRAL MORGAN COUNTY JUST NORTH OF FORT
MORGAN. RADAR ESTIMATED OF 2 1/2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN
OVER CENTRAL MORGAN COUNTY SINCE RAIN BEGAN AROUND 730 PM MDT.
STORMS OVER CENTRAL MORGAN COUNTY WERE NEARLY STATIONARY...BUT
THEY APPEAR TO HAVE WEAKENED IN THE PAST 30 MINUTES.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLASH
FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...NORMALLY DRY WASHES
AND ARROYOS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND
STREAMS IN MORGAN COUNTY.
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.
TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
DENVER.
BAKER
&
LAT...LON 4021 10355 4023 10400 4052 10400 4052 10353
6What 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, 6:40 PM MDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
COZ041-044-045-300100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ...CORRECTION FOR MISSING WORD... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 638 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED... THE SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN DOUGLAS...EASTERN ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE...AND SOUTHWEST MORGAN COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST COLORADO HAS EXPIRED AS OF 615 PM MDT. AT 635 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAD MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES NO LONGER POSING A THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING. HOWEVER... THUNDERSTORMS MAY REFORM IN THESE AREAS LATER THIS EVENING AS THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE. A FLANSH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO. BAKER
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 7:19 PM MDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
COZ035-038-300145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 719 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM MOVING TOWARD FORT COLLINS... AT 715 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT COLLINS. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO THE HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR AND FORT COLLINS AREA BETWEEN 800 AND 815 PM. AT THIS TIME...THE STORMS WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AMOUNTS LESS THAN 1/2 INCH. THIS WOULD CAUSE NO ADDITIONAL FLOODING PROBLEMS. HOWEVER...THE STORMS COULD STILL INTENSIFY AS THEY MOVE OFF THE FOOTHILLS. PERSONS IN AND NEAR FORT COLLINS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL. IF HEAVY RAIN DOES DEVELOP...FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS... STREETS...DITCHES...AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS CAN BE EXPECTED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 7:20 PM MDT, 2 hours before
COZ035-038-300145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 719 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM MOVING TOWARD FORT COLLINS... AT 715 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT COLLINS. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO THE HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR AND FORT COLLINS AREA BETWEEN 800 AND 815 PM. AT THIS TIME...THE STORMS WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AMOUNTS LESS THAN 1/2 INCH. THIS WOULD CAUSE NO ADDITIONAL FLOODING PROBLEMS. HOWEVER...THE STORMS COULD STILL INTENSIFY AS THEY MOVE OFF THE FOOTHILLS. PERSONS IN AND NEAR FORT COLLINS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL. IF HEAVY RAIN DOES DEVELOP...FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS... STREETS...DITCHES...AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS CAN BE EXPECTED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 7:40 PM MDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before
COZ046-047-049-300240- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 740 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND NORTHERN AND CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTIES... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL DRIFT VERY SLOWLY ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN WASHINGTON AND NORTHERN AND CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTIES PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL. AT 735 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL OVER OPEN RANGELAND ALONG INTERSTATE 70...10 MILES NORTH OF LIMON. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. A SECOND AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS FROMING OVER CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY JUST SOUTH OF HUGO WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY AND WERE MOVING NORTHWEST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO COLLIDE WITH STORMS OVER NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES. TORRENTIAL RAIN MAY DEVELOP WHEN THIS OCCURS LIKELY PROMPTING ISSUANCE OF A FLASH FLOOD WARNING. PERSONS IN OR NEAR ANTON...ARRIBA...BOYERO...ELBA...GENOA...HUGO... LAST CHANCE...LIMON...LINDON...THURMAN...WOODLIN SCHOOL AND WOODROW SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED MOVE TO HIGH GROUND IF FLOODING OCCURS. 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
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 8:50 PM MDT, 30 minutes before
COZ039-040-043-300600- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 850 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CANCELLED FOR BOULDER...DENVER AND SOUTHERN WELD COUNTIES... THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE DENVER METRO AREA AND BOULDER AREAS AS WELL AS WELD COUNTY SOUTH OF GREELEY HAS BEEN TERMINATED. ONLY SCATTERED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO ENTER THIS AREA AND RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH ANY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIGHT...THAT IS LESS THAN 1/2 INCH. ALTHOUGH THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE DENVER AND BOULDER AND GREELEY AREAS...THE REST OF NORTHEAST COLORADO INCLUDING THE FOOTHILLS OF LARIMER COUNTY AS WELL AS DOUGLAS AND ELBERT COUNTIES REMAINS UNDER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT. A NUMBER OF FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS OR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST COUNTY INCLUDING LARIMER COUNTY NEAR FORT COLLINS...MORGAN AND NORTHEAST WELD AND WESTERN LOGAN COUNTIES AND LINCOLN COUNTY. CONTINUE TO MONITOR LOCAL NEWS SOURCES AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER WARNINGS AND BULLETINS. REMEMBER THAT MOST RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE ALREADY RUNNING HIGH AND THAT SOILS IN MOST OF THE FRONT RANGE AND NORTHEAST COLORADO ARE SATURATED SO HEAVY RAIN WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE RUNOFF AND RAPID RISING WATER LEVELS IN STREAMS AND CREEKS. END...BOODA...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 8:54 PM MDT, 26 minutes before
COZ039-040-043-300600- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 850 PM MDT TUE JUL 29 1997 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CANCELLED FOR BOULDER...DENVER AND SOUTHERN WELD COUNTIES... THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE DENVER METRO AREA AND BOULDER AREAS AS WELL AS WELD COUNTY SOUTH OF GREELEY HAS BEEN TERMINATED. ONLY SCATTERED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO ENTER THIS AREA AND RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH ANY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIGHT...THAT IS LESS THAN 1/2 INCH. ALTHOUGH THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE DENVER AND BOULDER AND GREELEY AREAS...THE REST OF NORTHEAST COLORADO INCLUDING THE FOOTHILLS OF LARIMER COUNTY AS WELL AS DOUGLAS AND ELBERT COUNTIES REMAINS UNDER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT. A NUMBER OF FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS OR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST COUNTY INCLUDING LARIMER COUNTY NEAR FORT COLLINS...MORGAN AND NORTHEAST WELD AND WESTERN LOGAN COUNTIES AND LINCOLN COUNTY. CONTINUE TO MONITOR LOCAL NEWS SOURCES AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER WARNINGS AND BULLETINS. REMEMBER THAT MOST RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE ALREADY RUNNING HIGH AND THAT SOILS IN MOST OF THE FRONT RANGE AND NORTHEAST COLORADO ARE SATURATED SO HEAVY RAIN WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE RUNOFF AND RAPID RISING WATER LEVELS IN STREAMS AND CREEKS. END...BOODA...WSFO DENVER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 6:24 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Elbert | 96 min |
| Jul 29, 7:03 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Logan, Weld | 72 min |
| Jul 29, 7:59 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Elbert, Lincoln | 2 hr |
| Jul 29, 8:00 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Logan, Weld | 90 min |
| Jul 29, 8:15 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Larimer | 3 hr |
| Jul 29, 8:20 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Morgan | 55 min |
| Jul 29, 9:40 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Logan, Weld | 80 min |
| Jul 29, 9:55 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Elbert, Lincoln | 2 hr |
| Jul 29, 10:10 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Morgan | 50 min |
| Jul 29, 10:50 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Logan, Morgan, Washington, Weld | 2 hr |
| Jul 29, 11:26 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Elbert, Lincoln | 2 hr |
| Jul 30, 2:25 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Larimer | 110 min |
| Jul 30, 3:25 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson | 2 hr |
| Jul 30, 4:05 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Boulder, Jefferson | 115 min |
| Jul 30, 4:05 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Boulder, Jefferson | 115 min |
| Jul 30, 4:30 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Logan | 14 hr |
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.