Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 138, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

August 23, 1997Sedgwick County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 23, 1997, 5:40 PM MDT for Sedgwick County, Colorado. It was in force for 35 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 23, 1997, 5:40 PM MDT (23:40 UTC)
Expired
Aug 23, 1997, 6:15 PM MDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Sedgwick County, CO

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 179 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:42 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, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 137 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 1997-08-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 76 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 1997-08-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 30 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
76 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-271 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2322 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
32 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 232343 RRA
SVRDEN
COC115-240015-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
540 PM MDT SAT AUG 23 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 615 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
     CENTRAL SEDGWICK

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     OVID

AT 541 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER OVID...OR ABOUT 6 MILES WEST OF JULESBURG.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MILES PER HOUR.

VERY LARGE HAIL IS 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.

HEAVY RAIN ALSO ACCOMPANIES THIS STORM.  FOR YOUR SAFETY...STAY OUT 
OF FLOODED AREAS AND DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH RUNNING WATER.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YO~UR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN DENVER.

LAT...LON 4088 10226 4079 10238 4096 10245 4100 10237

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 23, 3:20 PM MDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
COZ046-232215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
320 PM MDT SAT AUG 23 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY...

AT 317 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTH OF GENOA...OR ABOUT 13 MILES
NORTHEAST OF LIMON.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR GENOA

A SPOTTER REPORTED MARBLE SIZED HAIL WITH THE STORM.  IN ADDITION
RADAR INDICATED THE STORM MAY HAVE PRODUCED UP TO 1 INCH OF
RAINFALL.  DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY IMMIDIATELY.  HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.  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.

FMC
Special weather statement, Aug 23, 3:23 PM MDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
COZ046-232215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
320 PM MDT SAT AUG 23 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY...

AT 317 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTH OF GENOA...OR ABOUT 13 MILES
NORTHEAST OF LIMON.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR GENOA

A SPOTTER REPORTED MARBLE SIZED HAIL WITH THE STORM.  IN ADDITION
RADAR INDICATED THE STORM MAY HAVE PRODUCED UP TO 1 INCH OF
RAINFALL.  DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY IMMIDIATELY.  HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.  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.

FM:C
Special weather statement, Aug 23, 3:25 PM MDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
COZ046-232215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO...CORRECTED
325 PM MDT SAT AUG 23 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY...

AT 317 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTH OF GENOA...OR ABOUT 13 MILES
NORTHEAST OF LIMON.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MILES PER HOUR.

A SPOTTER REPORTED MARBLE SIZED HAIL WITH THE STORM.  IN ADDITION
RADAR INDICATED THE STORM MAY HAVE PRODUCED UP TO 2 INCHES OF
RAINFALL.  DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR GENOA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IMMIDIATELY.

HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.  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.

FMC
Special weather statement, Aug 23, 3:26 PM MDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
COZ046-232215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO...CORRECTED
325 PM MDT SAT AUG 23 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY...

AT 317 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTH OF GENOA...OR ABOUT 13 MILES
NORTHEAST OF LIMON.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MILES PER HOUR.

A SPOTTER REPORTED MARBLE SIZED HAIL WITH THE STORM.  IN ADDITION
RADAR INDICATED THE STORM MAY HAVE PRODUCED UP TO 2 INCHES OF
RAINFALL.  DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR GENOA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IMMIDIATELY.

HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.  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
THREATEbNED BY FLOOD WATERS.

FMC

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 23, 3:46 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULincoln29 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.