Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 5, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 24, 1997, 3:03 PM MDT for Morgan County, Weld County, Colorado. It was in force for 42 min. 1 report 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 24, 1997, 3:03 PM MDT (21:03 UTC)
- Expired
- May 24, 1997, 3:45 PM MDT
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction
Counties Morgan County, CO, Weld County, CO
The radar
The Cheyenne radar (KCYS), 85 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:54 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 24, 3:10 PM MDT | Hail 1 | Briggsdale, CO |
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, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 111 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
- 1596 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 18 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 16 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 27 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
304
WUUS1 KDEN 242104 RRA
SVRDEN
COC087-123-242145-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
303 PM MDT SAT MAY 24 1997
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 345 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
CENTRAL WELD AND NORTHWESTERN MORGAN
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
BRIGGSDALE
AT 245 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 16 MILES SOUTH OF BRIGGSDALE...OR ABOUT 25 MILES
NORTHWEST OF FORT MORGAN.
LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM SINCE IT IS STILL
INTENSIFYING. HAM RADIO SPOTTERS NORTH OF THE TOWN OF HUDSON
HAVE REPORTED PEA SIZE HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN AT 3 PM MDT.
THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH AT 10 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.
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.
REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN DENVER.
LAT...LON 4067 10404 4033 10410 4035 10441 4071 10436What 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 24, 12:45 PM MDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-242100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1245 PM MDT SAT MAY 24 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS FORMING OVER FOOTHILLS... MOIST UNSTABLE AIR OVER COLORADO COMBINED WITH ABUNDANT SUNSHINE THIS MORNING HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS IN LARIMER...BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES. ANOTHER LINE OF BUILDUPS WAS FORMING OVER THE PLAINS STRETCHING FROM EASTERN ADAMS COUNTY...NORTH OF BYERS...SOUTH TO WESTERN ELBERT COUNTY...BETWEEN KIOWA AND AGATE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OF 3/4 INCH DIAMETER OR GREATER. WINDS ALOFT ARE RELATIVELY WEAK SO THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FAIRLY SLOW MOVING AND COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH AMOUNTS OF 3/4 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR. RAINS OF THIS INTENSITY COULD CAUSE SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO RUN BANKFULL. LOCAL FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS ALSO LIKELY FROM THE HEAVY RAIN. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ALSO BE A HAZARD THIS AFTERNOON WHERE-EVER THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRESENT. ANYONE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE NORMAL PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF LIGHTNING OR HAIL. BE ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IF YOU ARE NEAR ANY RIVERS OR STREAMS OR IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. MONITOR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER BULLETINS...STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. END...BOODA...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, May 24, 12:47 PM MDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-242100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1245 PM MDT SAT MAY 24 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS FORMING OVER FOOTHILLS... MOIST UNSTABLE AIR OVER COLORADO COMBINED WITH ABUNDANT SUNSHINE THIS MORNING HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS IN LARIMER...BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES. ANOTHER LINE OF BUILDUPS WAS FORMING OVER THE PLAINS STRETCHING FROM EASTERN ADAMS COUNTY...NORTH OF BYERS...SOUTH TO WESTERN ELBERT COUNTY...BETWEEN KIOWA AND AGATE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OF 3/4 INCH DIAMETER OR GREATER. WINDS ALOFT ARE RELATIVELY WEAK SO THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FAIRLY SLOW MOVING AND COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH AMOUNTS OF 3/4 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR. RAINS OF THIS INTENSITY COULD CAUSE SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO RUN BANKFULL. LOCAL FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS ALSO LIKELY FROM THE HEAVY RAIN. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ALSO BE A HAZARD THIS AFTERNOON WHERE-EVER THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRESENT. ANYONE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE NORMAL PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF LIGHTNING OR HAIL. BE ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IF YOU ARE NEAR ANY RIVERS OR STREAMS OR IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. MONITOR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER BULLETINS...STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. END...BOODA...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, May 24, 1:35 PM MDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-242100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 135 PM MDT SAT MAY 24 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN NORTHEAST COLORADO... THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS IN LARIMER... BOULDER...JEFFERSON...CLEAR CREEK AND GILPIN COUNTIES. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO PRESENT IN ELBERT...EASTERN ADAMS AND EASTERN ARAPHOE COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE TOWN OF BYERS WHERE PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED AT 135 PM ALONG WITH MODERATE RAIN. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST ABOUT 10 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OF 3/4 INCH DIAMETER OR GREATER. WINDS ALOFT ARE RELATIVELY WEAK SO THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FAIRLY SLOW MOVING AND COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH AMOUNTS OF 3/4 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR. RAINS OF THIS INTENSITY COULD CAUSE SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO RUN BANKFULL. LOCAL FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS ALSO LIKELY FROM THE HEAVY RAIN. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ALSO BE A HAZARD THIS AFTERNOON WHERE-EVER THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRESENT. ANYONE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE NORMAL PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF LIGHTNING OR HAIL. BE ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IF YOU ARE NEAR ANY RIVERS OR STREAMS OR IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. MONITOR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER BULLETINS...STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. END...BOODA...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, May 24, 1:36 PM MDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-242100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 135 PM MDT SAT MAY 24 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN NORTHEAST COLORADO... THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER THE FOOTHILLS IN LARIMER... BOULDER...JEFFERSON...CLEAR CREEK AND GILPIN COUNTIES. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO PRESENT IN ELBERT...EASTERN ADAMS AND EASTERN ARAPHOE COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE TOWN OF BYERS WHERE PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED AT 135 PM ALONG WITH MODERATE RAIN. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST ABOUT 10 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OF 3/4 INCH DIAMETER OR GREATER. WINDS ALOFT ARE RELATIVELY WEAK SO THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FAIRLY SLOW MOVING AND COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH AMOUNTS OF 3/4 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR. RAINS OF THIS INTENSITY COULD CAUSE SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO RUN BANKFULL. LOCAL FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS ALSO LIKELY FROM THE HEAVY RAIN. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ALSO BE A HAZARD THIS AFTERNOON WHERE-EVER THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRESENT. ANYONE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE NORMAL PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF LIGHTNING OR HAIL. BE ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IF YOU ARE NEAR ANY RIVERS OR STREAMS OR IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. MONITOR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER BULLETINS...STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. END...BOODA...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, May 24, 2:20 PM MDT, 43 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-242200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 220 PM MDT SAT MAY 24 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS RUMBLING OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO... THUNDERSTORMS ARE RUMBLING OVER THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND NORTHEAST COLORADO IN ADAMS...ARAPAHOE...SOUTHHERN WELD...SOUTHERN MORGAN...AND IN THE DENVER METRO AREA. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS THE BIGGEST THREAT WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AT THE PRESENT TIME BUT AS THEY INTENSIFY DURING THE AFTERNOON LARGE HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAIN. EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED NEAR THE TOWN OF BYERS. ALL THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 10 MPH AND COULD DUMP AS MUCH AS 3/4 TO 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR. RAIN OF THIS INTENSITY COULD CAUSE SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO RUN BANKFULL. LOCAL FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS ALSO LIKELY FROM THE HEAVY RAIN. ANYONE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE NORMAL PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF LIGHTNING OR HAIL. BE ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IF YOU ARE NEAR ANY RIVERS OR STREAMS OR IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. MONITOR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER BULLETINS...STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. END...BOODA...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, May 24, 2:21 PM MDT, 42 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-242200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 220 PM MDT SAT MAY 24 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS RUMBLING OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO... THUNDERSTORMS ARE RUMBLING OVER THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND NORTHEAST COLORADO IN ADAMS...ARAPAHOE...SOUTHHERN WELD...SOUTHERN MORGAN...AND IN THE DENVER METRO AREA. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS THE BIGGEST THREAT WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AT THE PRESENT TIME BUT AS THEY INTENSIFY DURING THE AFTERNOON LARGE HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAIN. EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED NEAR THE TOWN OF BYERS. ALL THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 10 MPH AND COULD DUMP AS MUCH AS 3/4 TO 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR. RAIN OF THIS INTENSITY COULD CAUSE SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO RUN BANKFULL. LOCAL FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS ALSO LIKELY FROM THE HEAVY RAIN. ANYONE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE NORMAL PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM OF LIGHTNING OR HAIL. BE ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IF YOU ARE NEAR ANY RIVERS OR STREAMS OR IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. MONITOR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA ODR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER BULLETINS...STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2:42 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Boulder, Jefferson | 48 min |
| May 24, 2:42 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Weld | 48 min |
| May 24, 3:24 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Weld | 36 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.