Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 76, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 23, 1997, 8:14 PM MDT for Weld County, Colorado. It was in force for 46 min. 6 reports 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 23, 1997, 8:14 PM MDT (02:14 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 23, 1997, 9:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 46 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction
County Weld County, CO
The radar
The Cheyenne radar (KCYS), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 23, 8:14 PM MDT | Hail 1 | Greeley, CO | |
| Jun 23, 8:15 PM MDT | Hail 1 | Greeley, CO | |
| Jun 23, 8:20 PM MDT | Hail 1.5 | Greeley, CO | |
| Jun 23, 8:25 PM MDT | Hail 1.75 | Greeley, CO | |
| Jun 23, 8:45 PM MDT | Hail 1.25 | Greeley, CO | |
| Jun 23, 8:50 PM MDT | Hail 1.5 | Greeley, CO | Large hail, up to golfball size, hammered the Greeley area causing extensive damage. Estimates included $2.25 million to homes with another $840,000 in automobile claims. |
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, 2.2 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 82 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -55 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2872 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 19 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -10 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -17 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
682
WUUS1 KDEN 240217 RRA
SVRDEN
COC123-240300-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
814 PM MDT MON JUN 23 1997
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
WEST CENTRAL WELD
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
GREELEY...AULT...EATON...EVANS...GALETON...LA SALLE...LUCERNE...
NUNN...PIERCE AND PURCELL
AT 805 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL GREELEY.
AT 813 PM MDT AMATEUR RADIO WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL GREELEY. HAIL 3/4 TO 1 INCH
IN DIAMETER WAS REPORTED FROM THIS STORM.
THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH AT 20 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR.
REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN DENVER.
GARD...WSFO DENVER
LAT...LON 4070 10448 4034 10465 4034 10484 4072 10486What 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 23, 5:54 PM MDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
COZ041-045-240045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 550 PM MDT MON JUN 23 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN ARAPAHOE...EASTERN ADAMS AND NORTH CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTIES OF COLORADO... AT 545 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DEER TRAIL...OR ABOUT 31 MILES NORTHWEST OF LIMON. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR. ALL PERSONS IN OR NEAR BYERS...DEER TRAIL...LEADER AND SHAMROCK 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 GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM UNTIL 645 PM MDT THIS EVENING. INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND ArVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. GARD...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 6:50 PM MDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
COZ040-043>045-240145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 650 PM MDT MON JUN 23 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH CENTRAL ARAPAHOE...CENTRAL ADAMS... SOUTH CENTRAL WELD AND SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN COUNTIES OF COLORADO... AT 645 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF STRASBURG...OR ABOUT 34 MILES EAST OF DENVER. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES PER HOUR. ALL PERSONS IN OR NEAR BENNETT...BYERS...COUNTRY GARDENS...HOYT... LEADER...MANILA VILLAGE...PROSPECT VALLEY...ROGGEN AND STRASBURG 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 GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM UNTIL 745 PM MDT THIS EVENING. INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. GARD...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 6:53 PM MDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
COZ040-043>045-240145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 650 PM MDT MON JUN 23 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH CENTRAL ARAPAHOE...CENTRAL ADAMS... SOUTH CENTRAL WELD AND SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN COUNTIES OF COLORADO... AT 645 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF STRASBURG...OR ABOUT 34 MILES EAST OF DENVER. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES PER HOUR. ALL PERSONS IN OR NEAR BENNETT...BYERS...COUNTRY GARDENS...HOYT... LEADER...MANILA VILLAGE...PROSPECT VALLEY...ROGGEN AND STRASBURG 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 GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM UNTIL 745 PM MDT THIS EVENING. INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. GARD...WSFO DENVER
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 7:42 PM MDT, 32 minutes before
COZ035-038-240215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 742 PM MDT MON JUN 23 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL LARIMER COUNTY... AT 735 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF BUCKHORN MOUNTAIN...OR ABOUT 15 MILES WEST OF FORT COLLINS. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR FORT COLLINS...BELLVUE...BUCKHORN MOUNTAIN... LIVERMORE...MISHOWAKA...AND POUDRE PARK SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. STRONG DOWNBURST WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND DEADLY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST LARIMER COUNTY IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES. BAKER
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 7:43 PM MDT, 31 minutes before
COZ035-038-240215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 742 PM MDT MON JUN 23 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL LARIMER COUNTY... AT 735 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF BUCKHORN MOUNTAIN...OR ABOUT 15 MILES WEST OF FORT COLLINS. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR FORT COLLINS...BELLVUE...BUCKHORN MOUNTAIN... LIVERMORE...MISHOWAKA...AND POUDRE PARK SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. STRONG DOWNBURST WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND DEADLY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST LARIMER COUNTY IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES. BAKER
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 8:13 PM MDT, 1 minute before
COZ038-043-240315- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 813 PM MDT MON JUN 23 1997 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN WEST CENTRAL WELD COUNTY COLORADO... AT 810 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF LA SALLE...OR ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTH OF GREELEY. AMATEUR RADIO SPOTTERS REPORTED 1/2 INCH HAIL FROM THIS STORM IN GREELEY. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH AT 20 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR GREELEY...AULT...EATON...EVANS...GALETON...LA SALLE...LUCERNE...NUNN...PIERCE...PURCELL AND SEVERANCE 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 GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THIS STORM UNTIL 915 PM MDT THIS EVENING. INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. GARD...WSFO DENVER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 23, 6:59 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe | 31 min |
| Jun 23, 9:00 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Weld | 45 min |
| Jun 24, 3:11 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Douglas, Elbert | 49 min |
| Jun 24, 3:58 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Elbert | 47 min |
| Jun 24, 4:40 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Elbert, Lincoln | 50 min |
| Jun 24, 4:43 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Morgan, Weld | 32 min |
| Jun 24, 5:11 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Weld | 49 min |
| Jun 24, 5:15 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Morgan | 30 min |
| Jun 24, 5:26 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Washington | 49 min |
| Jun 24, 5:36 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Lincoln | 39 min |
| Jun 24, 5:50 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Morgan, Weld | 40 min |
| Jun 24, 5:54 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Lincoln | 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.