Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 25, 1997, 5:43 PM MDT for 5 counties in Colorado. It was in force for 32 min. 2 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
- May 25, 1997, 5:43 PM MDT (23:43 UTC)
- Expired
- May 25, 1997, 6:15 PM MDT
- In force
- 32 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction
Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe County, CO, Denver County, CO, Morgan County, CO, Weld County, CO
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 5:43 PM MDT | Hail 1.75 | Watkins, CO | |
| May 25, 6:05 PM MDT | Hail 0.75 | Watkins, 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, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 95 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
- 108 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -29 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1057 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -151 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -69 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- -0.0
- Supercell composite
- -1.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
554
WUUS1 KDEN 252344 RRA
SVRDEN
COC001-005-031-087-123-260015-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
543 PM MDT SUN MAY 25 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
WESTERN ARAPAHOE...NORTHEASTERN DENVER...CENTRAL ADAMS...SOUTH
CENTRAL WELD AND SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
NORTHEASTERN AURORA...DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...ARAPAHOE
PARK...BENNETT...BYERS...COUNTRY GARDENS...HOYT...LEADER...
MANILA VILLAGE...PROSPECT VALLEY...STRASBURG AND WATKINS
AT 532PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES WEST OF HOYT...OR ABOUT 28 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF FORT MORGAN.
THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES PER HOUR.
GOLFBALL HAIL WAS REPORTED NEAR WATKINS AND BENNETT AT 545PM.
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 3994 10390 3964 10431 3957 10465 3973 10475
3985 10475 4028 10412
RTGWhat 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 25, 3:44 PM MDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
COZ004-033-034-262200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 350 PM MDT SUN MAY 25 1997 ...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE COLORADO NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY ABOVE 9500 FEET... A WINTER STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY FOR THE COLORADO NORTHERN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9000 FEET. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS...RABBIT EARS AND MEDICINE BOW RANGES...ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK...SUMMIT COUNTY...MOSQUITO RANGE AND INDIAN PEAKS. AN UNUSALLY STRONG LATE SEASON STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN COLORADO TONIGHT AND TRACK INTO EASTERN COLORADO ON MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING THE THREAT OF HEAVY SNOW INTO THE COLORADO NORTHERN MOUNTAINS BY LATE TONIGHT INTO MONDAY ESPECIALLY AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 9000 FEET NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS BY MONDAY AFTERNOON ABOVE 9500 FEET IN THE WATCH AREA MAY RANGE FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES. HOLIDAY TRAVELERS SHOULD EXPECT ICY AND SNOWPACKED ROADS ALONG WITH AREAS OF LOW VISIBILITIES IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATER TONIGHT AND MONDAY AS THE STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. ALLOW EXTRA TIME AND CARRY WARM CLOTHING AND FOOD IN CASE YOU HAVE PROBLEMS. CAMPERS SHOULD ALSO BE PREPARED FOR THE ADVERSE CONDITIONS. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES. COLORADO ROAD CONDITIONS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AT 303-639-1111. LESZCYNSKI
Special weather statement, May 25, 3:50 PM MDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
COZ004-033-034-262200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 350 PM MDT SUN MAY 25 1997 ...WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE COLORADO NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY ABOVE 9500 FEET... A WINTER STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY FOR THE COLORADO NORTHERN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9000 FEET. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE ELKHEAD AND PARK MOUNTAINS...RABBIT EARS AND MEDICINE BOW RANGES...ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK...SUMMIT COUNTY...MOSQUITO RANGE AND INDIAN PEAKS. AN UNUSALLY STRONG LATE SEASON STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN COLORADO TONIGHT AND TRACK INTO EASTERN COLORADO ON MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING THE THREAT OF HEAVY SNOW INTO THE COLORADO NORTHERN MOUNTAINS BY LATE TONIGHT INTO MONDAY ESPECIALLY AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 9000 FEET NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS BY MONDAY AFTERNOON ABOVE 9500 FEET IN THE WATCH AREA MAY RANGE FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PASSES. HOLIDAY TRAVELERS SHOULD EXPECT ICY AND SNOWPACKED ROADS ALONG WITH AREAS OF LOW VISIBILITIES IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATER TONIGHT AND MONDAY AS THE STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. ALLOW EXTRA TIME AND CARRY WARM CLOTHING AND FOOD IN CASE YOU HAVE PROBLEMS. CAMPERS SHOULD ALSO BE PREPARED FOR THE ADVERSE CONDITIONS. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES. COLORADO ROAD CONDITIONS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AT 303-639-1111. LESZCYNSKI
Special weather statement, May 25, 4:00 PM MDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
COZ039-040-043-252230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 400 PM MDT SUN MAY 25 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY BETWEEN DENVER AND GREELEY... ...WEAK SHORT LIVED TORNADOES POSSIBLE... AT 345 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER DENVER AND NORTH OF DENVER TO GREELEY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCING WEAK SHORT LIVED TORNADOES. THE STORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING EASTSOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR THE DENVER METRO AREA...DIA...GREELEY... LONGMONT...BARR LAKE...BRIGHTON...DACONO...ELDORADO SPRINGS...ERIE...EVANS...FEDERAL HEIGHTS...FIRESTONE...FORT LUPTON...FREDERICK...GILCREST...HUDSON...JOHNSTOWN...KEENESBURG...LA SALLE...LAFAYETTE...LOCHBUIE...LOUISVILLE...MEAD...MILLIKEN...MILTON RESERVOIR...NIWOT...PLATTEVILLE...ROCKY FLATS AND SUPERIOR... SHOULD BECOME WEATHER WATCHERS AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. RTG
Special weather statement, May 25, 4:01 PM MDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
COZ039-040-043-252230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 400 PM MDT SUN MAY 25 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY BETWEEN DENVER AND GREELEY... ...WEAK SHORT LIVED TORNADOES POSSIBLE... AT 345 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER DENVER AND NORTH OF DENVER TO GREELEY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCING WEAK SHORT LIVED TORNADOES. THE STORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING EASTSOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. PERSONS IN OR NEAR THE DENVER METRO AREA...DIA...GREELEY... LONGMONT...BARR LAKE...BRIGHTON...DACONO...ELDORADO SPRINGS...ERIE...EVANS...FEDERAL HEIGHTS...FIRESTONE...FORT LUPTON...FREDERICK...GILCREST...HUDSON...JOHNSTOWN...KEENESBURG...LA SALLE...LAFAYETTE...LOCHBUIE...LOUISVILLE...MEAD...MILLIKEN...MILTON RESERVOIR...NIWOT...PLATTEVILLE...ROCKY FLATS AND SUPERIOR... SHOULD BECOME WEATHER WATCHERS AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES. RTG
Special weather statement, May 25, 4:10 PM MDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
COZ047-252245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 410 PM MDT SUN MAY 25 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN. COUNTY... AT 407 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST LINCOLN COUNTY. PEA TO SMALL MARBLE SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED IN BOYERO AT 405PM. THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR...AND WILL MOVE INTO CHEYENNE COUNTY BY 440PM. PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST LINCOLN COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER UNTIL THIS STORM PASSES. THE STORM WILL ALSO CONTAIN DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. RTG
Special weather statement, May 25, 4:16 PM MDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
COZ047-252245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 410 PM MDT SUN MAY 25 1997 ...THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN. COUNTY... AT 407 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST LINCOLN COUNTY. PEA TO SMALL MARBLE SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED IN BOYERO AT 405PM. THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR...AND WILL MOVE INTO CHEYENNE COUNTY BY 440PM. PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST LINCOLN COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER UNTIL THIS STORM PASSES. THE STORM WILL ALSO CONTAIN DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. RTG
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 11:00 PM MDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOU | Weld | 3 hr |
| May 25, 5:00 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Weld | 30 min |
| May 25, 5:11 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe | 29 min |
| May 25, 5:21 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Morgan, Weld | 24 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.