Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 99, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

July 5, 1997Larimer County, Weld County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 5, 1997, 2:30 PM MDT for Larimer County, Weld County, Colorado. It was in force for 30 min. No storm report in the archive falls 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.

The facts

Issued
Jul 5, 1997, 2:30 PM MDT (20:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 5, 1997, 3:00 PM MDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

Counties Larimer County, CO, Weld County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 73 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:32 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 153 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 12:00Z on 1997-07-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 1997-07-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 11 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2959 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
40 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.

000 
TTAA00 KDEN 052029 RRA
SVRDEN
COC069-123-052100-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
230 PM MDT SAT JUL 5 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
     WEST CENTRAL WELD

IN NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
     SOUTHEASTERN LARIMER

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS
     JOHNSTOWN...MILLIKEN AND WINDSOR

AT 228 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES WEST OF WINDSOR...OR ABOUT 10 MILES 
SOUTHEAST OF FORT COLLINS.  

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 15 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.

>REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN DENVER.
SZOKE

LAT...LON 4029 10478 4029 10501 4048 10505 4055 10490

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, Jul 5, 11:44 AM MDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-0600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER COLORADO
1144 AM MDT SAT JUL 5 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:  A NEW SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS HAS MOVED INTO THE FORECAST
AREA...WITH THE FRONT CURRENTLY MOVING VERY LITTLE OVER THE SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA.  WITH A SLIGHT INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE...SOME COOLING ALOFT...AND A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
...ENOUGH INSTABILITY WILL BE PRESENT FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
LATER THIS AFTERNOON.  WIDELY SCATTERED STORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE
FOOTHILLS AND PALMER RIDGE BY EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN OVER THE REST
OF THE PLAINS BY LATE AFTERNOON.  SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 45
MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS.  WITH THE A NEARLY STALLED
FRONT AND A MOISTURE AXIS FORECAST OVER THE AREA THE STRONGEST
STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER ELBERT...WASHINGTON...AND LINCOLN
COUNTIES AFTER 2:30 PM.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON BUT MAY
BE NEEDED AFTER 4 PM.   RJK
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 11:46 AM MDT, 2 hours 44 minutes before
COZ030-032>050-0600-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER COLORADO ...CORRECTED TEXT...
1146 AM MDT SAT JUL 5 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:  A NEW SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS HAS MOVED INTO THE FORECAST
AREA...WITH THE FRONT CURRENTLY MOVING VERY LITTLE OVER THE SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA.  WITH A SLIGHT INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE...SOME COOLING ALOFT...AND A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
...ENOUGH INSTABILITY WILL BE PRESENT FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
LATER THIS AFTERNOON.  WIDELY SCATTERED STORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE
FOOTHILLS AND PALMER RIDGE BY EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN OVER THE REST
OF THE PLAINS BY LATE AFTERNOON.  SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 45
MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS.  WITH THE A NEARLY STALLED
FRONT AND A MOISTURE AXIS FORECAST OVER THE AREA THE STRONGEST
STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER ELBERT...WASHINGTON...AND LINCOLN
COUNTIES AFTER 2:30 PM.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON BUT MAY
BE NEEDED AFTER 2:30 PM.   RJK
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 1:10 PM MDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
COZ035-038-051945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
110 PM MDT SAT JUL 5 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTHEASTERN LARIMER COUNTY...

AT 110 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES EAST OF VIRGINIA DALE...OR ABOUT 27
MILES NORTH OF FORT COLLINS.  A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COOPERATIVE
OBSERVER 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF VIRGINIA DALE REPORTED HALF-INCH HAIL
WITH THIS STORM.  STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR CARR...LIVERMORE...MISHOWAKA...NATURAL FORT REST
AREA...POUDRE PARK...TEDS PLACE...VIRGINIA DALE AND WELLINGTON

SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE
OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG
BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES...UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY...UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

SZOKE
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 1:15 PM MDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
COZ035-038-051945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
110 PM MDT SAT JUL 5 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN NORTHEASTERN LARIMER COUNTY...

AT 110 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES EAST OF VIRGINIA DALE...OR ABOUT 27
MILES NORTH OF FORT COLLINS.  A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COOPERATIVE
OBSERVER 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF VIRGINIA DALE REPORTED HALF-INCH HAIL
WITH THIS STORM.  STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES PER HOUR.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR CARR...LIVERMORE...MISHOWAKA...NATURAL FORT REST
AREA...POUDRE PARK...TEDS PLACE...VIRGINIA DALE AND WELLINGTON

SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE TO A PLACE
OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG
BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES...UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY...UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

SZOKE
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 2:00 PM MDT, 30 minutes before
COZ033>035-038-039-043-052030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
200 PM MDT SAT JUL 5 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...

AT 200 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN LARIMER COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST STORM
WAS NORTHEAST OF VIRGINIA DALE NEAR THE WYOMING BORDER AND EXTENDING
INTO EXTREME NORTHWESTERN WELD COUNTY.  THIS STORM PRODUCED
THREE-QUARTER INCH HAIL AT 120 PM 9 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF VIRGINIA
DALE.

ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED WEST OF POUDRE PARK MOVING
SOUTHEAST AROUND 15 MPH.  OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE MOVING INTO THE
EASTERN PORTION OF LARIMER COUNTY PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY
WINDS.  AT 200 PM HALF-INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED IN FORT COLLINS.
SOMEWHAT WEAKER STORMS WILL ALSO CONTINUE MOVING INTO BOULDER COUNTY
WITH STRONG WINDS THE MAIN THREAT AT THIS TIME.

PERSONS IN LARIMER...BOULDER...AND WESTERN WELD COUNTIES SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT FOR THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HAIL AND POSSIBLE GUSTY
WINDS AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

SZOKE
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 2:04 PM MDT, 26 minutes before
COZ033>035-038-039-043-052030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
200 PM MDT SAT JUL 5 1997

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...

AT 200 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN LARIMER COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST STORM
WAS NORTHEAST OF VIRGINIA DALE NEAR THE WYOMING BORDER AND EXTENDING
INTO EXTREME NORTHWESTERN WELD COUNTY.  THIS STORM PRODUCED
THREE-QUARTER INCH HAIL AT 120 PM 9 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF VIRGINIA
DALE.

ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED WEST OF POUDRE PARK MOVING
SOUTHEAST AROUND 15 MPH.  OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE MOVING INTO THE
EASTERN PORTION OF LARIMER COUNTY PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY
WINDS.  AT 200 PM HALF-INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED IN FORT COLLINS.
SOMEWHAT WEAKER STORMS WILL ALSO CONTINUE MOVING INTO BOULDER COUNTY
WITH STRONG WINDS THE MAIN THREAT AT THIS TIME.

PERSONS IN LARIMER...BOULDER...AND WESTERN WELD COUNTIES SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT FOR THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HAIL AND POSSIBLE GUSTY
WINDS AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF BAD WEATHER APPROACHES.

SZOKE

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.