Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 134, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

August 18, 1997Boulder County, Larimer County, Weld County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 18, 1997, 3:04 PM MDT for Boulder County, Larimer County, Weld County, Colorado. It was in force for 56 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
Aug 18, 1997, 3:04 PM MDT (21:04 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 1997, 4:00 PM MDT
In force
56 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

Counties Boulder County, CO, Larimer County, CO, Weld County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:05 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, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 144 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 12:00Z on 1997-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 38 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 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 12:00Z on 1997-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 13 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 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
38 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-318 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1472 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
13 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
11 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 KDEN 182104 RRA
SVRDEN
COC013-069-123-182205-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
304 PM MDT MON AUG 18 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 400 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
     NORTHEASTERN BOULDER AND SOUTHWESTERN WELD

IN NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
     SOUTHEASTERN LARIMER

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     GREELEY...BERTHOUD...EVANS...GILCREST...JOHNSTOWN...KERSEY...
     LA SALLE...LOVELAND...MEAD...MILLIKEN...MILTON RESERVOIR...     
     PLATTEVILLE AND WINDSOR

AT 300 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES SOUTH OF LOVELAND...OR ABOUT 15 MILES
SOUTH OF FORT COLLINS.

THIS STORM HAS HAD A RECENT HISTORY OF PRODUCING PEA TO MARBLE SIZE 
HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.  A SPOTTER REPORTED SMALL HAIL COVERING 
THE GROUND NEAR HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR...OF 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT 
COLLINS.   

THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR.

HAIL UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER...RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 1 1/2 
INCHES PER HOUR AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MILES PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE 
WITH THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THE 
STORM...PUT YOUR CAR IN A GARAGE AND MOVE TO A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY 
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATION0AL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST 
OFFICE IN DENVER.

BAKER
LAT...LON 4035 10451 4008 10483 4033 10528 4054 10493

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 18, 1:56 PM MDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
COZ033-035-038-039-042-043-182050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
156 PM MDT MON AUG 18 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH EASTERN LARIMER...NORTHERN
BOULDER AND WESTERN WELD COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

AT 150 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN BOULDER...EASTERN
LARIMER AND EXTREME NORTHWEST WELD COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTH OF BELLVUE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF
FORT COLLINS AND 4 MILES NORTH OF ROCKPORT...OR 35 MILES NORTH OF
GREELEY.

AT 148 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED 3/8 INCH DIAMETER HAIL IN FORT
COLLINS AND FUNNEL CLOUDS WITH THE THUNDERSTORM CROSSING INTO EXTREME
NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR FORT
COLLINS...GREELEY...LONGMONT...AULT...BELLVUE...BERTHOUD...CARR...
EATON...EVANS...FIRESTONE...GILCREST...GROVER...HEREFORD...LA
SALLE...LOVELAND...LUCERNE...NUNN...PIERCE...ROCKPORT...TIMNATH AND
WINDSOR

SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE
OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND STRONG
GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.  STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
SHORT LIVED FUNNEL CLOUDS.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...RELAY YOUR REPORT TO YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENGY.  THEY WILL INTURN RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER.

BAKER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 1:56 PM MDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
COZ033-035-038-039-042-043-182050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT             ...CORRECTION...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
156 PM MDT MON AUG 18 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH EASTERN LARIMER...NORTHERN
BOULDER AND WESTERN WELD COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

AT 150 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN BOULDER...EASTERN
LARIMER AND EXTREME NORTHWEST WELD COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTH OF BELLVUE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF
FORT COLLINS AND 4 MILES NORTH OF ROCKPORT...OR 35 MILES NORTH OF
GREELEY.

AT 148 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED 3/8 INCH DIAMETER HAIL IN FORT
COLLINS AND FUNNEL CLOUDS WITH THE THUNDERSTORM CROSSING INTO EXTREME
NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR FORT COLLINS...GREELEY...LONGMONT...AULT...
BELLVUE...BERTHOUD...CARR...EAT ON...EVANS...FIRESTONE...GILCREST...
GROVER...HEREFORD...LA SALLE...LOVELAND...LUCERNE...NUNN...
PIERCE...ROCKPORT...TIMNATH AND WINDSOR

SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE
OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND STRONG
GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.  STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
SHORT LIVED FUNNEL CLOUDS.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...RELAY YOUR REPORT TO YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENGY.  THEY WILL INTURN RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER.

BAKER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 1:57 PM MDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
COZ033-035-038-039-042-043-182050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT             ...CORRECTION...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
156 PM MDT MON AUG 18 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH EASTERN LARIMER...NORTHERN
BOULDER AND WESTERN WELD COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

AT 150 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN BOULDER...EASTERN
LARIMER AND EXTREME NORTHWEST WELD COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTH OF BELLVUE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF
FORT COLLINS AND 4 MILES NORTH OF ROCKPORT...OR 35 MILES NORTH OF
GREELEY.

AT 148 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED 3/8 INCH DIAMETER HAIL IN FORT
COLLINS AND FUNNEL CLOUDS WITH THE THUNDERSTORM CROSSING INTO EXTREME
NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR FORT COLLINS...GREELEY...LONGMONT...AULT...
BELLVUE...BERTHOUD...CARR...EAT ON...EVANS...FIRESTONE...GILCREST...
GROVER...HEREFORD...LA SALLE...LOVELAND...LUCERNE...NUNN...
PIERCE...ROCKPORT...TIMNATH AND WINDSOR

SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE
OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND STRONG
GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.  STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
SHORT LIVED FUNNEL CLOUDS.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...RELAY YOUR REPORT TO YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENGY.  THEY WILL INTURN RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER.

BAKER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 2:30 PM MDT, 34 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-190600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO  ...UPDATED...
230 PM MDT MON AUG 18 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 UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRACKING OVER NORTHERN COLORADO
HAS COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS
CONTAINING HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL.  AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF SURFACE MOISTURE
RESIDES OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS DUE TO CONTINUOUS SOUTHEASTERLY
FLOW.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF BECOMING SEVERE THROUGH THE REST
AFTERNOON AS THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION ALONG WITH RAINFALL REPORTS WILL BE NEEDED
THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND POSSIBLY INTO THE EARLY
EVENING.

FREDIN
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 2:34 PM MDT, 30 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-190600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO  ...UPDATED...
230 PM MDT MON AUG 18 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 UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE TRACKING OVER NORTHERN COLORADO
HAS COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS
CONTAINING HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL.  AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF SURFACE MOISTURE
RESIDES OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS DUE TO CONTINUOUS SOUTHEASTERLY
FLOW.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF BECOMING SEVERE THROUGH THE REST
AFTERNOON AS THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION ALONG WITH RAINFALL REPORTS WILL BE NEEDED
THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND POSSIBLY INTO THE EARLY
EVENING.

FREDIN
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 2:53 PM MDT, 11 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-190600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
253 PM MDT MON AUG 18 1997

...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

SYNOPSIS:  THUNDERSTORMS WERE ERUPTING OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
AND ALONG THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO THIS
AFTERNOON.  STORMS WILL TRACK EAST ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN PLAINS OF
COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON...REACHING THE EASTERN BORDER BY THIS
EVENING.

THE ATMOSPHERE WAS ESPECIALLY PRIMED FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
BOULDER...LARIMER...EASTERN JEFFERSON...ADAMS...ARAPAHOE...ELBERT...
WELD...MORGAN...LOGAN AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...WIND
GUSTS TO 50 MILES PER HOUR AND FUNNEL CLOUDS.

THE SKYWARN STORM SPOTTER NETWORK IN THE DENVER METRO AREA WILL BE
ACTIVATED AS OF 300 PM MDT.

BAKER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 18, 2:34 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUWeld41 min
Aug 18, 3:49 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUAdams, Arapahoe26 min
Aug 18, 4:15 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUAdams, Arapahoe30 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.