Alert archive / Colorado / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 35, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

April 30, 2003Adams County, Arapahoe County, Denver County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 30, 2003, 4:31 PM MDT for Adams County, Arapahoe County, Denver County, Colorado. It was in force for 59 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Apr 30, 2003, 4:31 PM MDT (22:31 UTC)
Expired: Apr 30, 2003, 5:30 PM MDT
In force: 59 min
Issued by: NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe County, CO, Denver County, CO

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 135 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 446 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 984 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -6 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.

007 
WUUS55 KBOU 302231
SVRBOU
COC001-005-031-302330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
ISSUED BY NWS PUEBLO CO
429 PM MDT WED APR 30 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  ADAMS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
  ARAPAHOE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO
  DENVER COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO

* UNTIL 530 PM MDT

* AT 429 PM MDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THE
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER EXTREME WEST CENTRAL AURORA...OR ABOUT
  7 MILES EAST OF DENVER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED WILL BE...
  DENVER...AURORA AROUND 435 PM MDT
  DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AROUND 445 PM MDT
  
AT THIS TIME THE MOST LIKELY KIND OF SEVERE WEATHER IS HAIL AROUND
ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND DAMAGING WINDS AROUND 60 MPH. GET INDOORS
AND IN AN INTERIOR ROOM AWAY FROM WINDOWS. A BASEMENT CAN OFFER THE 
BEST PROTECTION. REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE 
TORNADOS WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING. 

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

LAT...LON 3973 10503 3960 10487 3980 10444 3990 10469
          3984 10473 3980 10479 3978 10487

$$

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.

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 30, 2:30 PM MDT, 2 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 2:30 PM MDT, 2 hours 1 minute before

NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
ISSUED BY NWS PUEBLO
230 PM MDT WED APR 30 2003

CURRENTLY PROVIDING SERVICE BACKUP FOR BOU. PRETTY BUSY WITH SHORT
TERM SEVERE WEATHER.

CURRENTLY...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER MOUNTAINS AND ALONG
THE PALMER DIVIDE. UPPER LOW OVER NORHTWEST US WITH IMPULSES
ROTATING AROUND THE LOW ACROSS COLORADO. SURFACE BOUNDARY CUTTING
ACROSS NE COLO THIS AFTERNOON WITH COOL AND MOIST AIR ON THE
NORTHEAST SIDE AND DRIER AIR TO THE SOUTH. LAPS DATA SHOWING AXIS
OF GOOD CAPE ALONG BOUNDARY AND STORMS INTENSIFY AS THE MOVE INTO
IT. EXPECT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TO CONTINUE TO BE IN VICINITY OF THE
BOUNDARY THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND INTO EVENING.

TONIGHT...KEPT LOW POPS IN ALL AREAS AS THOSE WEAK INMPULSES
CONTINUE TO RIPPLE ACROSS THE AREA. TIMING IS DIFFICULT WITH THESE
THINGS.

TOMORROW...IMPULSES CONTINUE TO RIPPLE THROUGH THE FLOW HELPING TO
KEEP CONVECTION ACTIVE. ATMOSPHERE DRIES OUT SOME SO KEPT POPS IN
THE ISOLATED RANGE.

FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...NO CHANGES MADE IN THE CURRENT FORECAST.
FIRST TROF COMES OUT OF SW US ACROSS COLO ON SUNDAY WITH NORTHWEST
FLOW FOR MON AND TUE. LEFT WED DRY AS SHORTWAVE RIDGE MOVES OVER THE
AREA.  -FORTUNE-

.DEN...NONE.

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 5:52 AM MDT, 10 hours 39 minutes before

COZ030>051-011200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
ISSUED BY NWS PUEBLO
552 AM MDT WED APR 30 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL
COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

LOOK FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHEAST AND
NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  THE MAIN THREAT
FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HAIL
AROUND 1/4 INCH IN DIAMETER...AND GUSTY WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...EACH DAY FROM THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.
THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL REMAIN LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR TODAY OR TONIGHT.

METZE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 30, 10:31 AM MDT, 6 hours before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
945 AM MDT WED APR 30 2003

...PRELIMINARY STORM REPORT FOR APRIL 28-29 2003...

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0400 PM    8 W HENDERSON             CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   ADAMS

0443 PM    6 E PARKER                CO   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   DOUGLAS

0450 PM    GILCREST                  CO   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   WELD

0513 PM    11 W FLAGLER              CO   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   LINCOLN

0515 PM    5 NE ELIZABETH            CO   2.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   ELBERT

0547 PM    HIGHLANDS RANCH           CO   0.88 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   DOUGLAS

0545 PM    HIGHLANDS RANCH           CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   DOUGLAS

0545 PM    1 SW LONE TREE            CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   DOUGLAS

0550 PM    HIGHLANDS RANCH           CO   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   DOUGLAS

0600 PM    2 N DEERTRAIL             CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   ARAPAHOE

0610 PM    21 N NEW RAYMER           CO   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   WELD

0652 PM    2 NNE DEER TRAIL          CO   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   ARAPAHOE

0700 PM    WIGGINS                   CO   60 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
04/29/03   MORGAN

0700 PM    WIGGINS                   CO   0.88 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   MORGAN

0711 PM    6 S FORT MORGAN           CO   TORNADO ON GROUND
04/29/03   MORGAN

0830 PM    3 E DEER TRAIL            CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   ARAPAHOE

0832 PM    ANTON                     CO   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   WASHINGTON

0856 PM    2.5 N ARICKAREE SCHOOL    CO   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   WASHINGTON

0858 PM    1 N ARICKAREE SCHOOL      CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   WASHINGTON

0902 PM    2.5 N ARICKAREE SCHOOL    CO   1.25 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   WASHINGTON

0940 PM    13 S LAST CHANCE          CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/29/03   LINCOLN

0608 PM    1 E WIGGINS               C0   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   MORGAN

0612 PM    WIGGINS                   CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   MORGAN

0725 PM    12 SE PROSPECT VALLEY     CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ADAMS

0815 PM    ENGLEWOOD                 CO   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ARAPAHOE

0825 PM    GREENWOOD VILLAGE         CO   0.88 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ARAPAHOE

0829 PM    SE AURORA                 CO   1.50 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ARAPAHOE

0840 PM    CENTENNIAL                CO   0.88 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ARAPAHOE

0840 PM    2 E CENTENNIAL            CO   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ARAPAHOE

0900 PM    2 N SHAMROCK              CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ADAMS

1000 PM    10 N BYERS                CO   0.88 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   ADAMS

1000 PM    10 N BYERS                CO   61 MPH TSTM WIND GUST
04/28/03   ADAMS

1050 PM    ELBA                      C0   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/28/03   WASHINGTON

BENTON/JK

Local storm report, Apr 30, 2:46 PM MDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
ISSUED BY NWS PUEBLO
246 PM MDT WED APR 30 2003

TIME(MDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0208 PM    4 SW FORT COLLINS         CO   0.88 INCH HAIL
04/30/03   LARIMER

0228 PM    FORT COLLINS              CO   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/30/03   LARIMER

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 29, 6:23 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Weld	67 min
Apr 29, 6:29 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert	46 min
Apr 29, 6:40 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Morgan	65 min
Apr 29, 6:42 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Weld	48 min
Apr 29, 6:59 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Adams, Arapahoe	61 min
Apr 29, 7:05 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Elbert	55 min
Apr 29, 7:08 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Elbert	52 min
Apr 29, 7:16 PM MDT	Tornado Warning	BOU	Morgan	44 min
Apr 29, 7:21 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Logan, Weld	54 min
Apr 29, 7:32 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Arapahoe, Elbert	43 min
Apr 29, 8:00 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Washington	60 min
Apr 29, 8:29 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Arapahoe, Elbert	46 min
Apr 29, 9:01 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Washington	29 min
Apr 29, 9:13 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Lincoln, Washington	62 min
Apr 29, 9:16 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Sedgwick	44 min
Apr 29, 9:27 PM MDT	Tornado Warning	BOU	Washington	48 min
Apr 30, 1:02 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Lincoln	58 min
Apr 30, 1:18 PM MDT	Tornado Warning	BOU	Lincoln	57 min
Apr 30, 2:12 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Larimer	33 min
Apr 30, 4:15 PM MDT	Tornado Warning	BOU	Weld	60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Colorado, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm 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.