Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 21, NWS Pueblo, CO

August 5, 2004Las Animas County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Aug 5, 2004, 3:11 PM MDT for Las Animas County, 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
Aug 5, 2004, 3:11 PM MDT (21:11 UTC)
Expired
Aug 5, 2004, 6:15 PM MDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Las Animas County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 160 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:14 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

Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM (KABQ), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 279 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, Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM at 12:00Z on 2004-08-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM at 12:00Z on 2004-08-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -170 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-203 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1271 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-170 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
43 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 KPUB 052116
FFWPUB
COC071-060015-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
311 PM MDT THU AUG 5 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO

* UNTIL 615 PM MDT

* AT 304 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  FLASH FLOODING FROM THUNDERSTORMS FROM ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF 
  STONEWALL TO 4 MILES EAST OF SEGUNDO AND LOCATIONS SOUTH OF HIGHWAY
  12.

* THE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING WILL BE...  
  NEARLY STATIONARY ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 12.

THIS WARNING REPLACES THE URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY THAT 
WAS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AREA.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.

IF YOU ARE IN OR CLOSE TO THE WARNED AREA GO TO HIGHER GROUND
IMMEDIATELY. PEOPLE ALONG CREEKS AND DRAINAGE AREAS SHOULD TAKE
IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER OR STILL WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH ON FOOT
OR BY VEHICLE. AS LITTLE AS 6 INCHES OF WATER MAY CAUSE YOU TO LOSE
CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE...AND 2 FEET OF RUSHING WATER CAN CARRY AWAY
MOST VEHICLES...INCLUDING SUVS AND PICKUPS. NEARLY HALF OF ALL FLOOD
FATALITIES ARE VEHICLE RELATED. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS IN WATER
ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND GO TO HIGHER GROUND. BE ESPECIALLY
CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF
FLOODING.

LAT...LON 3717 10497 3705 10497 3703 10462 3714 10462

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 052151
FFSPUB
COC071-052345-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
345 PM MDT THU AUG 5 2004

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST LAS 
ANIMAS COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM MDT THURSDAY...

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN BRINGING HEAVY RAIN TO SOUTHWEST LAS ANIMAS 
COUNTY SINCE AROUND 2 PM.  HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL 
AT LEAST 5 PM.  RADAR ESTIMATES THAT BETWEEN 3 AND 4.5 INCHES OF 
RAIN HAS FALLEN THIS AFTERNOON IN AREAS JUST SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 12 
BETWEEN STONEWALL AND SEGUNDO.  HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO CONTINUE 
FALLING ON THE TRINIDAD COMPLEX BURN SCAR.  FLASH FLOODING IN CREEKS 
AND STREAMS IS EXPECTED.  SOME ROADWAYS WILL BE FLOODED...WITH 
DEBRIS ALSO BLOCKING SOME ROADWAYS. 

BE ALERT FOR FAST RISING WATER AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF
NECESSARY. DO NOT DRIVE OR WALK INTO WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. AS
LITTLE AS 6 INCHES OF WATER MAY CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR
VEHICLE...AND 2 FEET OF RUSHING WATER CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES...
INCLUDING SUVS AND PICKUPS. NEARLY HALF OF ALL FLOOD FATALITIES ARE
VEHICLE RELATED. KEEP CHILDREN AND OTHERS AWAY FROM FAST FLOWING
WATER. FLOODING WILL OCCUR ALONG CREEKS...IN DRAINAGE AREAS...OVER
RURAL ROADS...IN NORMALLY DRY WASHES AND ARROYOS...AND OVER LOW LYING
LAND ALONG CREEK BANKS.

JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ON A BURN SCAR CAN LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. WATER THAT IS NORMALLY ABSORBED BY VEGETATION...RUNS OFF
ALMOST INSTANTLY. THIS CAUSES CREEKS AND DRAINAGE AREAS TO FLOOD AT A
MUCH FASTER RATE THAN NORMAL. ADDITIONALLY...THE SOILS IN A BURN SCAR
BECOME VERY UNSTABLE WHEN IT RAINS. ENTIRE HILLSIDES CAN BREAK
AWAY...CREATING DEVASTATING ROCK SLIDES...MUDSLIDES...AND DEBRIS
FLOWS. ROADWAYS ARE OFTEN DESTROYED BY THE POWERFUL FORCE OF THE
RUSHING WATER AND DEBRIS...ESPECIALLY IF THEY PASS THROUGH A CREEK
BED OR OTHER DRAINAGE AREA.

WATCH FOR ROCKSLIDES AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN. WHEN DRIVING...
SLOW DOWN TO AVOID HITTING ROCKS AND MUD ON THE ROADWAY.

$$
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 052244
FFSPUB
COC071-060015-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
444 PM MDT THU AUG 5 2004

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST LAS 
ANIMAS COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM MDT THURSDAY EVENING...

...VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES OVER PARTS OF WESTERN LAS ANIMAS 
COUNTY...

AT 440 PM...VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF SEGUNDO IN 
WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY. RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF 4 TO 6 
INCH RAIN FALL AMOUNTS HAVE OCCURRED...MAINLY FALLING BETWEEN 
HIGHWAY 12 AND THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO BORDER. THIS RAIN WILL 
CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING IN SMALLER CREEKS FEEDING INTO THE 
PURGATOIRE RIVER...ESPECIALLY THE SOUTH FORK OF THE PURGATOIRE 
RIVER...AND CREEKS FLOWING IN BOTH...LORENCITO CANYON...AND THE LONG 
CANYON. RISES IN THE MAIN PURGATOIRE CHANNEL ARE EXPECTED. 

PEOPLE ALONG AND IN THE VICINITY OF THE PURGATOIRE RIVER WEST OF 
TRINIDAD SHOULD BE ON HIGH ALERT FOR FLASH FLOODING.

MOTORISTS ON HIGHWAY 12 SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION AND SHOULD BE 
PREPARED TO QUICKLY GO TO HIGH GROUND IF FLASH FLOODING IS 
ENCOUNTERED.

BE ALERT FOR FAST RISING WATER AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF
NECESSARY. DO NOT DRIVE OR WALK INTO WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. AS
LITTLE AS 6 INCHES OF WATER MAY CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR
VEHICLE...AND 2 FEET OF RUSHING WATER CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES...
INCLUDING SUVS AND PICKUPS. NEARLY HALF OF ALL FLOOD FATALITIES ARE
VEHICLE RELATED. KEEP CHILDREN AND OTHERS AWAY FROM FAST FLOWING
WATER. FLOODING WILL OCCUR ALONG CREEKS...IN DRAINAGE AREAS...OVER
RURAL ROADS...IN NORMALLY DRY WASHES AND ARROYOS...AND OVER LOW LYING
LAND ALONG CREEK BANKS.

$$
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 052346
FFSPUB
COC071-060015-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
540 PM MDT THU AUG 5 2004

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST LAS 
ANIMAS COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM MDT THURSDAY EVENING...

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER SOUTHWEST LAS ANIMAS COUNTY...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ONCE AGAIN REDEVELOPED OVER WESTERN LAS 
ANIMAS COUNTY...ALONG THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO BORDER ABOUT 10 TO 
15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SEGUNDO. RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF 5 TO 
7 INCH RAIN FALL AMOUNTS HAVE OCCURRED...MAINLY FALLING BETWEEN 
HIGHWAY 12 AND THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO BORDER. THIS RAIN WILL 
CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING IN SMALLER CREEKS FEEDING INTO THE 
PURGATOIRE RIVER...ESPECIALLY THE SOUTH FORK OF THE PURGATOIRE 
RIVER...AND CREEKS FLOWING IN BOTH...LORENCITO CANYON...AND THE LONG 
CANYON. RISES IN THE MAIN PURGATOIRE CHANNEL ARE EXPECTED. 

PEOPLE ALONG AND IN THE VICINITY OF THE PURGATOIRE RIVER...AND 
ASSOCIATED TRIBUTARIES...WEST OF TRINIDAD SHOULD BE ON HIGH ALERT 
FOR FLASH FLOODING.

MOTORISTS ON HIGHWAY 12 SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION AND SHOULD BE 
PREPARED TO QUICKLY GO TO HIGH GROUND IF FLASH FLOODING IS 
ENCOUNTERED.

IF THIS HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES...THIS FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR 
SOUTHWEST LAS ANIMAS COUNTY WILL BE EXTENDED.


BE ALERT FOR FAST RISING WATER AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF
NECESSARY. DO NOT DRIVE OR WALK INTO WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. AS
LITTLE AS 6 INCHES OF WATER MAY CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR
VEHICLE...AND 2 FEET OF RUSHING WATER CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES...
INCLUDING SUVS AND PICKUPS. NEARLY HALF OF ALL FLOOD FATALITIES ARE
VEHICLE RELATED. KEEP CHILDREN AND OTHERS AWAY FROM FAST FLOWING
WATER. FLOODING WILL OCCUR ALONG CREEKS...IN DRAINAGE AREAS...OVER
RURAL ROADS...IN NORMALLY DRY WASHES AND ARROYOS...AND OVER LOW LYING
LAND ALONG CREEK BANKS.

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Pueblo, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 4, 6:04 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso56 min
Aug 4, 6:13 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBBent, Otero62 min
Aug 4, 7:03 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso57 min
Aug 4, 8:29 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso2 hr
Aug 5, 3:37 AM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBBent, Otero4 hr
Aug 5, 3:33 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBTeller3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2004Every flash flood warning in 2004

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.