Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

July 18, 20034 counties in Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this flash flood warning at Jul 18, 2003, 10:09 PM MDT for 4 counties in Colorado. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 18, 2003, 10:09 PM MDT (04:09 UTC)
Expired
Jul 19, 2003, 1:15 AM MDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Arapahoe County, CO, Denver County, CO, Douglas County, CO, Elbert County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 35 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:09 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 00:00Z, 4.2 hours before the alert went out and 143 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 2003-07-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1403 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Denver, CO at 00:00Z on 2003-07-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -17 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1403 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2946 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-17 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
51 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 
WGUS55 KBOU 190412
FFWBOU
COC005-031-035-039-190715-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1009 PM MDT FRI JUL 18 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN ELBERT COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO
  WESTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
  SOUTHWESTERN DENVER COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF DENVER
  NORTHEASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO

* UNTIL 115 AM MDT

* AT 1009 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER SOUTHEASTERN CENTENNIAL...OR ABOUT 14 MILES
  SOUTHEAST OF DENVER. THE STORM PRODUCING THE HEAVY RAIN WAS MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...
SOUTHWESTERN AURORA...CENTENNIAL...DENVER...ENGLEWOOD...LITTLETON...
ARAPAHOE PARK...ELIZABETH...GREENWOOD VILLAGE...HIGHLANDS RANCH...
PARKER...PONDEROSA PARK...SHERIDAN...SURREY RIDGE AND THE PINERY.

AUTOMATED RAINFALL GAUGES HAVE INDICATED UP TO AN INCH OF RAIN IN 
JUST THE LAST 20 MINUTES ACROSS AURORA.  THE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL HAS 
MOVED VERY LITTLE IN THE PAST 30 MINUTES.   

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 3958 10505 3931 10461 3946 10445 3979 10490
          3975 10507

$$

ENTREKIN
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS75 KBOU 190506
FFSBOU
COC005-031-035-039-190715-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1105 PM MDT FRI JUL 18 2003

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR

  NORTHWESTERN ELBERT COUNTY
  WESTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTY
  DENVER COUNTY
  NORTHEASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY

UNTIL 115 AM MDT.

AT 1050 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER NORTHEASTERN CENTENNIAL...OR ABOUT 14 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF DENVER. THE STORM PRODUCING THE HEAVY RAIN WAS MOVING 
SLOWLY NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

LOCATIONS REMAINING IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED
TO...SOUTHWESTERN AURORA...CENTENNIAL...DENVER...ENGLEWOOD...NORTHERN
LITTLETON...ARAPAHOE PARK...ELIZABETH...GREENWOOD VILLAGE...HIGHLANDS
RANCH...PARKER...PONDEROSA PARK...SHERIDAN...SURREY RIDGE AND THE
PINERY.

SPOTTER REPORTS AND AUTOMATED RAINFALL GAUGES INDICATED BETWEEN 2 
AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. THE HEAVIEST 
RAIN FELL FROM CENTRAL DENVER...AND STRETCHING SOUTHEAST THROUGH 
AURORA...PARKER...AND PONDEROSA PARK.  THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS SHIFTED 
SLIGHTLY TO THE NORTH...SO THE RAIN HAS DECREASED IN THE AURORA 
AREA.  EVEN THOUGH THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS SUBSIDED...FLASH FLOODING 
CAN STILL BE EXPECTED THROUGH 1 AM.  

DAMAGE REPORTS INDICATED INTERSTATE 25 WAS FLOODED IN SPOTS ALONG 
THE T-REX PROJECT INCLUDING EVANS...AND ALONG ARAPAHOE AND PARKER 
ROADS.  CREEKS WHICH EXPERIENCED FLOODING INCLUDED GOLDSMITH GULCH 
THROUGH THE BIBLE PARK AREA, CHERRY CREEK, AND TOLLGATE CREEK. SOME 
BASEMENTS WERE ALSO REPORTED IN THE AURORA AREA. 

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 3958 10505 3931 10461 3946 10445 3979 10490           3975 
10507


$$

ENTREKIN
000 
WGUS75 KBOU 190544
FFSBOU
COC005-031-035-039-190715-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1140 PM MDT FRI JUL 18 2003

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR

  NORTHWESTERN ELBERT COUNTY
  WESTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTY
  DENVER COUNTY
  NORTHEASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY

UNTIL 115 AM MDT.

AT 1130 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THE HEAVY RAIN HAS SHIFTED NORTHWARD INTO ADAMS AND SOUTHERN WELD 
COUNTIES. ONLY SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS REMAIN IN THE FLASH 
FLOOD WARNING LOCATIONS....WHERE RAINFALL RATES WILL BE UNDER A 
TENTH OF AN INCH IN 30 MINUTES. DESPITE THE LACK OF CURRENT 
RAINFALL...ONGOING FLOODING WILL REMAIN IN THE WARNING LOCATIONS 
THROUGH 1 AM.   

LOCATIONS REMAINING IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED
TO...SOUTHWESTERN AURORA...CENTENNIAL...DENVER...ENGLEWOOD...NORTHERN
LITTLETON...ARAPAHOE PARK...ELIZABETH...GREENWOOD VILLAGE...HIGHLANDS
RANCH...PARKER...PONDEROSA PARK...SHERIDAN...SURREY RIDGE AND THE
PINERY.

SPOTTER REPORTS AND AUTOMATED RAINFALL GAUGES INDICATED BETWEEN 2 
AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. THE HEAVIEST 
RAIN FELL FROM CENTRAL DENVER...AND STRETCHING SOUTHEAST THROUGH 
AURORA...PARKER...AND PONDEROSA PARK. 

CURRENT REPORTS INDICATED FLOODING AT THE INTERSECTIONS AT EVANS AND 
MONACO...14TH AND JERSEY...AND ALAMEDA AND STEELE.  INTERSTATE 25 IS 
CURRENTLY CLOSED FROM SANTE FE SOUTHBOUND TO INTERSTATE 225 DUE TO 
FLOODING AND ACCIDENTS. 

CREEKS WHICH EXPERIENCED FLOODING INCLUDED GOLDSMITH GULCH THROUGH 
THE BIBLE PARK AREA...CHERRY CREEK...AND TOLLGATE CREEK. SOME 
BASEMENTS WERE ALSO REPORTED FLOODED IN THE AURORA AREA. 

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 3958 10505 3931 10461 3946 10445 3979 10490 3975 10507

$$

ENTREKIN
000 
WGUS75 KBOU 190704
FFSBOU
COC005-031-035-039-190720-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
105 AM MDT SAT JUL 19 2003

THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE FOR

  NORTHWESTERN ELBERT COUNTY
  WESTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTY
  DENVER COUNTY
  NORTHEASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY


AT 1255 AM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
JUST A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS ACROSS AURORA AND STRETCHING ACROSS 
WESTERN ELBERT AND CENTRAL ARAPAHOE COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL 
WILL BE UNDER A TENTH OF AN INCH THROUGH 2 AM.  LOCAL OFFICIALS IN 
THE WARNING AREAS REPORTED NO NEW LIFE THREATENING FLOODING 
PROBLEMS. INTERSTATE 25 IS STILL CLOSED FROM SANTE FE TO INTERSTATE 
225 DUE TO STANDING WATER. 

NO CURRENT MAJOR FLOODING PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE AURORA 
AREA...AND THE COUNTIES OF ELBERT AND DOUGLAS.

EARLIER...SPOTTER REPORTS AND AUTOMATED RAINFALL GAUGES INDICATED 
BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN LESS THAN AN HOUR 
BETWEEN 945 PM AND 1045 PM. THE HEAVIEST RAIN FELL FROM CENTRAL 
DENVER...AND STRETCHING SOUTHEAST THROUGH AURORA...PARKER...AND 
PONDEROSA PARK. 

CREEKS WHICH EXPERIENCED EARLIER FLOODING LIKE GOLDSMITH GULCH 
...CHERRY CREEK...AND TOLLGATE CREEK...HAVE NOW BEGUN TO RECEED.

LAT...LON 3958 10505 3931 10461 3946 10445 3979 10490 3975 10507

$$

ENTREKIN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 6:21 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUWeld54 min
Jul 18, 7:15 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUWeld60 min
Jul 18, 7:29 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUWeld46 min
Jul 18, 8:00 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUJefferson3 hr
Jul 18, 8:16 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUMorgan, Weld59 min
Jul 18, 8:52 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULogan53 min
Jul 18, 9:47 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULogan, Phillips, Sedgwick58 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2003Every flash flood warning in 2003

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.