Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 90, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

June 25, 1997Sedgwick County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 25, 1997, 4:15 PM MDT for Sedgwick County, Colorado. It was in force for 45 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 25, 1997, 4:15 PM MDT (22:15 UTC)
Expired
Jun 25, 1997, 5:00 PM MDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Sedgwick County, CO

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 174 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:09 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 25, 4:22 PM MDTHail 1.75Julesburg, 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jun 25, 1:45 PM MDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 133 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, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 12:00Z on 1997-06-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 51 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 12:00Z on 1997-06-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -48 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
51 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-154 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
945 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-48 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
84 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

048 
WUUS1 KDEN 252216 RRA
SVRDEN
COC115-252300-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
415 PM MDT WED JUN 25 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
     EASTERN SEDGWICK

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     JULESBURG AND SIXTEEN-MILE CORNER

AT 409 PM MDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED 1 INCH DIAMETER HAIL 3 MILES 
EAST OF JULESBURG.  

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR.  

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 
8 PM MDT.  REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES 
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCED WARNING. 

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 4099 10206 4076 10205 4076 10231 4099 10227

BARJENBRUCH

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 25, 11:14 AM MDT, 5 hours 1 minute before
COZ030-032>050-260600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1115 AM MDT TUE JUN 24 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:  IT WILL BE A VERY ACTIVE AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR
CONVECTION OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO.  SEVERAL FACTORS WILL COME
TOGETHER TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD...POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH
HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY EAST OF GREELEY TO LIMON LINE THIS
EVENING.

SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO FEED MOIST AIR ACROSS NORTHEAST
COLORADO INTO SOUTHEAST WYOMING.  A WEAK UPPER TROUGH WILL ALSO HELP
FOCUS THE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING.  A SURFACE LOW WILL STRENGTHEN EAST OR NORTHEAST OF
DENVER WHICH WILL ALSO ACT AS A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS.  WINDS WILL
TURN CLOCKWISE WITH HEIGHT...SO THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING TORNADOES.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY FORM OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN...THE
FOOTHILLS...PALMER DIVIDE AND CHEYENNE RIDGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...
AND DEVELOP TO THE PLAINS BEFORE 2PM.  BY EVENING... THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD BEGIN DECREASING OVER THE URBAN CORRIDOR...WHILE
THUNDERSTORMS BECOME WIDESPREAD TO THE NORTHEAST OF GREELEY AND
LIMON.  WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND
POSSIBLE FLOODING.

SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE ACTIVATED AROUND 1PM.

RTG
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 11:32 AM MDT, 4 hours 43 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-260600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1115 AM MDT WED JUN 25 1997...CORRECTED DATE...

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:  IT WILL BE A VERY ACTIVE AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR
CONVECTION OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO.  SEVERAL FACTORS WILL COME
TOGETHER TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD...POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH
HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY EAST OF GREELEY TO LIMON LINE THIS
EVENING.

SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO FEED MOIST AIR ACROSS NORTHEAST
COLORADO INTO SOUTHEAST WYOMING.  A WEAK UPPER TROUGH WILL ALSO HELP
FOCUS THE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING.  A SURFACE LOW WILL STRENGTHEN EAST OR NORTHEAST OF
DENVER WHICH WILL ALSO ACT AS A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS.  WINDS WILL
TURN CLOCKWISE WITH HEIGHT...SO THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING TORNADOES.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY FORM OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN...THE
FOOTHILLS...PALMER DIVIDE AND CHEYENNE RIDGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...
AND DEVELOP TO THE PLAINS BEFORE 2PM.  BY EVENING... THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD BEGIN DECREASING OVER THE URBAN CORRIDOR...WHILE
THUNDEZRSTORMS BECOME WIDESPREAD TO THE NORTHEAST OF GREELEY AND
LIMON.  WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND
POSSIBLE FLOODING.

SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE ACTIVATED AROUND 1PM.

RTG
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 11:32 AM MDT, 4 hours 43 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-260600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1115 AM MDT WED JUN 25 1997...CORRECTED DATE...

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:  IT WILL BE A VERY ACTIVE AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR
CONVECTION OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO.  SEVERAL FACTORS WILL COME
TOGETHER TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD...POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH
HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY EAST OF GREELEY TO LIMON LINE THIS
EVENING.

SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO FEED MOIST AIR ACROSS NORTHEAST
COLORADO INTO SOUTHEAST WYOMING.  A WEAK UPPER TROUGH WILL ALSO HELP
FOCUS THE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING.  A SURFACE LOW WILL STRENGTHEN EAST OR NORTHEAST OF
DENVER WHICH WILL ALSO ACT AS A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS.  WINDS WILL
TURN CLOCKWISE WITH HEIGHT...SO THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING TORNADOES.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY FORM OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN...THE
FOOTHILLS...PALMER DIVIDE AND CHEYENNE RIDGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...
AND DEVELOP TO THE PLAINS BEFORE 2PM.  BY EVENING... THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD BEGIN DECREASING OVER THE URBAN CORRIDOR...WHILE
THUNDEZRSTORMS BECOME WIDESPREAD TO THE NORTHEAST OF GREELEY AND
LIMON.  WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND
POSSIBLE FLOODING.

SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE ACTIVATED AROUND 1PM.

RTG
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 2:35 PM MDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before
COZ038-042-048-050-252100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
235 PM MDT WED JUN 25 1997

...THUNDERSTORM IN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE...

AT 235 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 28 MILES NORTH OF WESTPLAINS...OR ABOUT 48 MILES
NORTHWEST OF STERLING IN THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE.  THE STORM WAS
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR.  THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED AT
LEAST TWO TORNADOES IN THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE AS WELL AS NICKEL TO
DIME SIZED HAIL.  OTHER STORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER EXTREME SOUTHEAST
WYOMING AND THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE.

IF THESE STORMS CONTINUE ON THEIR PRESENT TRACK...THEY WILL BE
AFFECTING NORTHEASTERN LARIMER...NORTHERN WELD...NORTHERN LOGAN AND
WESTERN SEDGWICK COUNTIES AFTER 3 PM.  PERSONS IN OR NEAR CARR...
CROOK...GROVER...HEREFORD...PAWNEE BUTTES...PEETZ...PROCTOR...
ROCKPORT...TWIN BUTTES AND WESTPLAINS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER
APPROACHES.  GET INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING ON THE LOWEST FLOOR AND
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF NORTHEASTERN COLORADO
UNTIL 8 PM MDT.
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 2:37 PM MDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
COZ038-042-048-050-252100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
235 PM MDT WED JUN 25 1997

...THUNDERSTORM IN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE...

AT 235 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 28 MILES NORTH OF WESTPLAINS...OR ABOUT 48 MILES
NORTHWEST OF STERLING IN THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE.  THE STORM WAS
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES PER HOUR.  THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED AT
LEAST TWO TORNADOES IN THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE AS WELL AS NICKEL TO
DIME SIZED HAIL.  OTHER STORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER EXTREME SOUTHEAST
WYOMING AND THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE.

IF THESE STORMS CONTINUE ON THEIR PRESENT TRACK...THEY WILL BE
AFFECTING NORTHEASTERN LARIMER...NORTHERN WELD...NORTHERN LOGAN AND
WESTERN SEDGWICK COUNTIES AFTER 3 PM.  PERSONS IN OR NEAR CARR...
CROOK...GROVER...HEREFORD...PAWNEE BUTTES...PEETZ...PROCTOR...
ROCKPORT...TWIN BUTTES AND WESTPLAINS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER
APPROACHES.  GET INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING ON THE LOWEST FLOOR AND
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF NORTHEASTERN COLORADO
UNTIL 8 PM MDT.
~

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 24, 6:29 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUMorgan31 min
Jun 24, 7:01 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUAdams, Morgan, Washington29 min
Jun 25, 3:10 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULogan, Weld35 min
Jun 25, 3:33 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULogan27 min
Jun 25, 3:45 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULogan, Weld30 min
Jun 25, 4:04 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULogan26 min
Jun 25, 4:53 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOULogan2 hr

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.