Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 148, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

August 28, 1997Douglas County, Elbert County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 28, 1997, 4:58 PM MDT for Douglas County, Elbert County, Colorado. It was in force for 47 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 28, 1997, 4:58 PM MDT (22:58 UTC)
Expired
Aug 28, 1997, 5:45 PM MDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

Counties Douglas County, CO, Elbert County, CO

The nearest sounding before it

Fort Carson/Butt, CO (KFCS), launched 12:00Z, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 91 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, Fort Carson/Butt, CO at 12:00Z on 1997-08-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 972 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Fort Carson/Butt, CO at 12:00Z on 1997-08-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 122 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156175194214233253272292311330350369389408428Sfc1 km3 km6 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
972 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-60 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1362 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
122 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 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 282258 RRA
SVRDEN
COC035-039-282345-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
458 PM MDT THU AUG 28 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
     NORTHEASTERN DOUGLAS

IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO
     NORTHWESTERN ELBERT

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     PONDEROSA PARK

AT 456 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF PONDEROSA PARK...OR ABOUT 26
MILES SOUTHEAST OF DENVER.

THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.  BY 530 PM...THIS 
STORM WILL BE LOCATED JUST NORTH OF KIOWA.  

LARGE HAIL UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 60 MPH 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 
SHEL|TER.

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

BARJENBRUCH

LAT...LON 3956 10428 3936 10432 3936 10471 3956 10473

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 28, 11:30 AM MDT, 5 hours 28 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-290600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1130 AM MDT THU AUG 28 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 NARROW STREAM OF MONSOONAL MOISTURE CONTINUES TO MOVE
OVER COLORADO TODAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE AREA REMAINS
ENTRENCHED OVER THE REGION.  A WEAK UPPER LEVEL WEATHER DISTURBANCE
IS ROTATING AROUND THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE THIS MORNING AND WAS
LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN WYOMING.  THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE EASTWARD
THROUGH THE EVENING AND MAY ASSIST SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT ON THE PLAINS BY THIS EVENING.  SURFACE WINDS ON THE
NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS ARE GENERALLY WEAK TODAY WHICH MEANS THERE
ARE NO FAVORED AREAS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS
AFTERNOON.

EXCEPT FOR A LINE OF SHOWERS DEVELOPING OVER A BOUNDARY IN CENTRAL
LINCOLN COUNTY LATE THIS MORNING...OTHER SHOWERS THAT DEVELOP SHOULD
BE CAUSED BY AFTERNOON HEATING OVER THE FOOTHILLS.  THUNDERSTORMS
WILL THEN PROGRESS EASTWARD THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
WITH THE WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS WYOMING...THE
STORMS WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF BECOMING STRONGER THAN NORMAL WILL BE
IN LARIMER...WELD AND LOGAN COUNTIES.  WINDS ALOFT WILL BE STRONG
ENOUGH TO KEEP STORMS MOVING...WHICH WILL MINIMIZE THE THREAT OF
HEAVY RAINS.  STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL.

STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS AND SPOTTER
ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.

DANKERS
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 11:32 AM MDT, 5 hours 26 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-290600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1130 AM MDT THU AUG 28 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 NARROW STREAM OF MONSOONAL MOISTURE CONTINUES TO MOVE
OVER COLORADO TODAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE AREA REMAINS
ENTRENCHED OVER THE REGION.  A WEAK UPPER LEVEL WEATHER DISTURBANCE
IS ROTATING AROUND THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE THIS MORNING AND WAS
LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN WYOMING.  THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE EASTWARD
THROUGH THE EVENING AND MAY ASSIST SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT ON THE PLAINS BY THIS EVENING.  SURFACE WINDS ON THE
NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS ARE GENERALLY WEAK TODAY WHICH MEANS THERE
ARE NO FAVORED AREAS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS
AFTERNOON.

EXCEPT FOR A LINE OF SHOWERS DEVELOPING OVER A BOUNDARY IN CENTRAL
LINCOLN COUNTY LATE THIS MORNING...OTHER SHOWERS THAT DEVELOP SHOULD
BE CAUSED BY AFTERNOON HEATING OVER THE FOOTHILLS.  THUNDERSTORMS
WILL THEN PROGRESS EASTWARD THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
WITH THE WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS WYOMING...THE
STORMS WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF BECOMING STRONGER THAN NORMAL WILL BE
IN LARIMER...WELD AND LOGAN COUNTIES.  WINDS ALOFT WILL BE STRONG
ENOUGH TO KEEP STORMS MOVING...WHICH WILL MINIMIZE THE THREAT OF
HEAVY RAINS.  STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL.

STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS AND SPOTTER
ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.

DANKERS
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 3:46 PM MDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
COZ039-043-282230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
346 PM MDT THU AUG 28 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN BOULDER COUNTY
AND INTO SOUTHWESTERN WELD COUNTY...

AT 346 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES WEST OF LOUISVILLE...OR ABOUT 20 MILES
NORTHWEST OF DENVER.

THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR LOUISVILLE...ERIE...FIRESTONE...AND LAFAYETTE
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER.  THIS STORM WILL
PRODUCE PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL...GUSTY WINDS UP TO 45 MPH...AND A
QUICK 1/2 INCH OF RAIN.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG
BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES...UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY...UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

BARJENBRUCH
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 3:49 PM MDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
COZ039-043-282230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
346 PM MDT THU AUG 28 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN BOULDER COUNTY
AND INTO SOUTHWESTERN WELD COUNTY...

AT 346 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES WEST OF LOUISVILLE...OR ABOUT 20 MILES
NORTHWEST OF DENVER.

THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR LOUISVILLE...ERIE...FIRESTONE...AND LAFAYETTE
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER.  THIS STORM WILL
PRODUCE PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL...GUSTY WINDS UP TO 45 MPH...AND A
QUICK 1/2 INCH OF RAIN.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG
BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES...UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY...UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

BARJENBRUCH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 28, 12:25 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUElbert, Lincoln65 min
Aug 28, 2:00 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUElbert, Lincoln2 hr
Aug 28, 2:00 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUElbert, Lincoln2 hr
Aug 28, 5:34 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULincoln41 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.