Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 12, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 27, 1997, 4:00 PM MDT for Weld County, Colorado. It was in force for 45 min. 3 reports came from 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, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- May 27, 1997, 4:00 PM MDT (22:00 UTC)
- Expired
- May 27, 1997, 4:45 PM MDT
- In force
- 45 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction
County Weld County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:59 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 27, 4:15 PM MDT | Hail 1 | Greeley, CO | |
| May 27, 4:15 PM MDT | Hail 1 | Evans, CO | |
| May 27, 4:15 PM MDT | Hail 1 | Eaton, CO | Large hail caused $2.0 million in damage to several car dealerships in Greeley. Spotty crop damage was reported near Eaton, extending along the east side of Greeley to just east of Kersey. Three hundred acres of beets were destroyed. |
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, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 130 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
- 1923 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 33 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 72 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 89 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
265
WUUS1 KDEN 272203 RRA
SVRDEN
COC123-272245-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
400 PM MDT TUE MAY 27 1997
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 445 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
WEST CENTRAL WELD
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
GREELEY...EATON...EVANS...GALETON...GILCREST...GILL...KERSEY...
LA SALLE...LUCERNE AND MILTON RESERVOIR
AT 353 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES WEST OF LUCERNE...OR ABOUT 4 MILES NORTH
OF GREELEY.
THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 30 MILES PER HOUR.
IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...GO INSIDE A STURDY SHELTER
AWAY FROM CREEK BEDS AND OTHER FLOOD-PRONE AREAS. REMEMBER...A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAN PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60
MPH...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN DENVER.
ENTREKIN
LAT...LON 4035 10437 4013 10480 4050 10487 4061 10462What 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, May 27, 11:13 AM MDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-280600- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1115 AM MDT TUE MAY 27 1997 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: A NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY IN THE WAKE OF A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM NOW LOCATED IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA. IN ADDITION A SURFACE TROUGH WILL BACK UP AGAINST THE FRONT RANGE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AS A WEAK SURGE OF COOLER AIR MOVES SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGHER FOOTHILL LOCATIONS...SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE...ESPECIALLY ALONG WEST FACING SLOPES. THE SNOW LEVEL AROUND 9 THOUSAND FEET. NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH WILL PERSIST IN THE FOOTHILLS AND IN THE MOUNTAINS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AFTER 1 PM. IN THE NORTHEAST PLAINS...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN DEVELOP AFTER 2 PM HTHIS AFTERNOON. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS BUT NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. AS A RESULT SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY. COOPER
Special weather statement, May 27, 11:15 AM MDT, 4 hours 45 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-280600- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1115 AM MDT TUE MAY 27 1997 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: A NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY IN THE WAKE OF A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM NOW LOCATED IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA. IN ADDITION A SURFACE TROUGH WILL BACK UP AGAINST THE FRONT RANGE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AS A WEAK SURGE OF COOLER AIR MOVES SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HIGHER FOOTHILL LOCATIONS...SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE...ESPECIALLY ALONG WEST FACING SLOPES. THE SNOW LEVEL AROUND 9 THOUSAND FEET. NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH WILL PERSIST IN THE FOOTHILLS AND IN THE MOUNTAINS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AFTER 1 PM. IN THE NORTHEAST PLAINS...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN DEVELOP AFTER 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS BUT NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. AS A RESULT SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY. COOPER
Special weather statement, May 27, 2:23 PM MDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
COZ044-272045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 223 PM MDT TUE MAY 27 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED NEAR FORT MORGAN... AT 213 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM OVER FORT MORGAN AIRPORT...OR ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF FORT MORGAN. AT 213 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD JUST NORTHWEST OF FORT MORGAN. HOWEVER...RADAR INDICATED CIRCULATION WITH THIS STORM HAS WEAKENED DURING THE LAST 5 MINUTES...AND SPOTTER REPORTS INDICATED THE FUNNEL HAS DISSIAPATED. THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES PER HOUR AND WILL LIKELY CONTAIN HAIL UP TO 1/2 INCH DIAMETER AND POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUDS AS IT MOVES SOUTHEAST. PERSONS IN OR NEAR BRUSH...FORT MORGAN...HILLROSE AND SNYDER SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. ENTREKIN
Special weather statement, May 27, 2:24 PM MDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
COZ044-272045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 223 PM MDT TUE MAY 27 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED NEAR FORT MORGAN... AT 213 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM OVER FORT MORGAN AIRPORT...OR ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF FORT MORGAN. AT 213 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD JUST NORTHWEST OF FORT MORGAN. HOWEVER...RADAR INDICATED CIRCULATION WITH THIS STORM HAS WEAKENED DURING THE LAST 5 MINUTES...AND SPOTTER REPORTS INDICATED THE FUNNEL HAS DISSIAPATED. THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES PER HOUR AND WILL LIKELY CONTAIN HAIL UP TO 1/2 INCH DIAMETER AND POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUDS $AS IT MOVES SOUTHEAST. PERSONS IN OR NEAR BRUSH...FORT MORGAN...HILLROSE AND SNYDER SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. ENTREKIN
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2:31 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Morgan | 29 min |
| May 27, 2:55 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Logan | 45 min |
| May 27, 3:45 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Washington | 45 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Colorado, 1997Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.