Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 59, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

June 14, 1997Phillips County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 14, 1997, 9:38 PM MDT for Phillips County, Colorado. It was in force for 27 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
Jun 14, 1997, 9:38 PM MDT (03:38 UTC)
Expired
Jun 14, 1997, 10:05 PM MDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Phillips County, CO

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 139 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:41 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 14, 9:49 PM MDTHail 0.75Eckley, 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 00:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 93 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 00:00Z on 1997-06-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 70 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 00:00Z on 1997-06-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -71 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
70 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-106 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2413 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
3 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-71 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-39 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.

668 
WUUS1 KDEN 150339 RRA
SVRDEN
COC095-150405-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
938 PM MDT SAT JUN 14 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1005 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
     SOUTHWESTERN PHILLIPS

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     HAXTUN AND HIGHLAND CENTER...

AT 932 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HIGHLAND CENTER...OR
ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HOLYOKE.

AT 930 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED WIND DRIVEN HAIL 1 1/2 INCHES IN 
DIAMETER FROM THIS STORM 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HIGHLAND CENTER...OR 
ABOUT 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HOLYOKE.

THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES PER HOUR.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM  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.

&
BAKER
LAT...LON 4047 10219 4020 10254 4047 10290 4074 10254

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, Jun 14, 5:34 PM MDT, 4 hours 4 minutes before
COZ040-140010-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
535 PM MDT SAT JUN 14 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EASTWARD THROUGH DOUGLAS COUNTY...

AT 530 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST THROUGH DOUGLAS COUNTY.
THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF CASTLE
ROCK...OR 34 MILES SOUTH OF DENVER.

THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR CASTLE ROCK...FRANTOWN...LARKSPUR...BEVERLY
HILLS...PARKER...GREENLAND AND SILVER HEIGHTS SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR LARGE HAIL...VERY STRONG WIND GUSTS...FUNNEL CLOUDS AND
POSSIBLE TORNADOES WITH THESE STORMS AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY
IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES.
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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO
UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING.

BAKER
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 5:35 PM MDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before
COZ040-140010-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
535 PM MDT SAT JUN 14 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EASTWARD THROUGH DOUGLAS COUNTY...

AT 530 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST THROUGH DOUGLAS COUNTY.
THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF CASTLE
ROCK...OR 34 MILES SOUTH OF DENVER.

THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR CASTLE ROCK...FRANTOWN...LARKSPUR...BEVERLY
HILLS...PARKER...GREENLAND AND SILVER HEIGHTS SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR LARGE HAIL...VERY STRONG WIND GUSTS...FUNNEL CLOUDS AND
POSSIBLE TORNADOES WITH THESE STORMS AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY
IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES.
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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST COLORADO
UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING.

BAKER
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 7:26 PM MDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
COZ045-150200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
726 PM MDT SAT JUN 14 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN ADAMS COUNTY...

AT 725 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SHAMROCK...OR ABOUT 31 MILES SOUTH
OF FORT MORGAN.  THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR LEADER AND SHAMROCK SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER
APPROACHES.  THIS AFTERNOONS THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA HAVE HAD
A HISTORY OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO 1 1/2 INCHES IN  DIAMETER AND
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND 1 INCH.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN COLORADO UNTIL
900 PM.

RJK
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 7:28 PM MDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before
COZ045-150200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
726 PM MDT SAT JUN 14 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN ADAMS COUNTY...

AT 725 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SHAMROCK...OR ABOUT 31 MILES SOUTH
OF FORT MORGAN.  THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR LEADER AND SHAMROCK SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER
APPROACHES.  THIS AFTERNOON'S THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA HAVE HAD
A HISTORY OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO 1 1/2 INCHES IN  DIAMETER AND
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND 1 INCH.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN COLORADO UNTIL
900 PM.

RJK
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 8:51 PM MDT, 47 minutes before
COZ038>050-150330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
851 PM MDT SAT JUN 14 1997

...TORNADO WATCH WILL EXPIRE AT 900 PM MDT FOR EASTERN COLORADO...

THE TORNADO WATCH ISSUED EARLIER FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN COLORADO
WILL EXPIRE AT 900 PM MDT.

AT 848 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER EXTREME NORTHEAST COLORADO.
IN ADDITION AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHEASTERN
WELD COUNTY EAST OF KEENESBURG.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL
PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

KLEYLA
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 8:53 PM MDT, 45 minutes before
COZ038>050-150330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
851 PM MDT SAT JUN 14 1997

...TORNADO WATCH WILL EXPIRE AT 900 PM MDT FOR EASTERN COLORADO...

THE TORNADO WATCH ISSUED EARLIER FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN COLORADO
WILL EXPIRE AT 900 PM MDT.

AT 848 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER EXTREME NORTHEAST COLORADO.
IN ADDITION AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCAzTED OVER SOUTHEASTERN
WELD COUNTY EAST OF KEENESBURG.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL
PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

KLEYLA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 14, 6:05 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUMorgan, Weld35 min
Jun 14, 7:35 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUAdams, Washington25 min
Jun 14, 7:55 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULogan, Phillips, Sedgwick45 min
Jun 14, 8:52 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULogan, Phillips, Sedgwick38 min
Jun 15, 12:33 AM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUPhillips3 hr
Jun 15, 3:25 AM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUPhillips2 hr
Jun 15, 5:23 AM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUPhillips3 hr
Jun 15, 1:41 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULarimer, Weld34 min
Jun 15, 3:11 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUAdams, Boulder, Weld34 min
Jun 15, 3:20 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUAdams, Weld25 min
Jun 15, 3:20 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUBoulder25 min
Jun 15, 3:53 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUAdams, Weld32 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.