Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 11, NWS Pueblo, CO

August 20, 2005El Paso County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Aug 20, 2005, 1:14 PM MDT for El Paso County, Colorado. It was in force for 3 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 20, 2005, 1:14 PM MDT (19:14 UTC)
Expired
Aug 20, 2005, 4:15 PM MDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County El Paso County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:16 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
Aug 20, 1:50 PM MDTFLASH FLOOD4 Ne Colorado Springs, CO2 TO 2.5 FEET OF WATER OVER ROADWAY. CARS STRANDED.
Aug 20, 2:15 PM MDTFLASH FLOOD5 Ne Colorado Springs, COCURB TO CURB FLOODING. DEBRIS AND ROCKS IN ROAD. CARS STALLED.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 7.2 hours before the alert went out and 166 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 2005-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4 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, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 2005-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -16 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
4 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-370 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2229 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
30 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 201916
FFWPUB
COC041-202215-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
114 PM MDT SAT AUG 20 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO.
  THIS INCLUDES COLORADO SPRINGS.

* UNTIL 415 PM MDT.

* AT 106 PM MDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM
  THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MONUMENT TO CENTRAL
  COLORADO SPRINGS TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT CARSON...OR ALONG A
  LINE EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS TO COLORADO
  SPRINGS TO 16 MILES SOUTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS...MOVING EAST AT 5
  MPH.

* THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE OVER... 
  COLORADO SPRINGS...WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY AND NORTHERN EL PASO
  COUNTY THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT RAIN TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES HAVE 
OCCURRED OVER NORTHERN AND WESTERN COLORADO SPRINGS WITH SOME 
FLOODING AT NORTH ACADEMY AND CAREFREE IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

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. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN
IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING.

LAT...LON 3874 10459 3910 10418 3912 10494 3854 10490

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 201956
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
153 PM MDT SAT AUG 20 2005

COC041-202215-
EL PASO CO-
153 PM MDT SAT AUG 20 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 415 PM MDT...

AT 152 PM MDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED THUNDERSTORMS 
PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING OVER MUCH OF COLORADO SPRINGS. MANY STREETS 
HAVE WATER OVER THE CURB AND STALLED CARS IN LOW AREAS. THESE STORMS 
WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM PEYTON TO EAST CENTRAL 
COLORADO SPRINGS TO SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO SPRINGS TO 6 MILES 
SOUTHWEST OF FORT CARSON...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 24 MILES 
NORTHEAST OF COLORADO SPRINGS TO COLORADO SPRINGS TO 15 MILES SOUTH 
OF COLORADO SPRINGS...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH. 

THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING WILL BE NEAR...  
  BE OVER THE WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY UNTIL 415 PM.

THERE HAVE BEEN ISOLATED REPORTS OF RAINFALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES WITH 
SEVERAL REPORTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.

LAT...LON 3874 10459 3910 10418 3912 10494 3854 10490

$$
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 202103
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
255 PM MDT SAT AUG 20 2005

COC041-202215-
EL PASO CO-
255 PM MDT SAT AUG 20 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 415 PM MDT...

AT 246 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
SHOW THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING.  THESE STORMS WERE
LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF CALHAN TO 9
MILES NORTHEAST OF SCHRIEVER AFB TO SCHRIEVER AFB TO 9 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF FORT CARSON...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 23 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF LIMON TO 21 MILES EAST OF COLORADO SPRINGS TO 14 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF COLORADO SPRINGS TO 18 MILES SOUTH OF COLORADO
SPRINGS...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.

THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DECREASED IN INTENSITY AND MOVED SOUTH AND 
EAST OF COLORADO SPRINGS. HOWEVER  THERE CONTINUES TO BE A 
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RUN OFF INTO SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS THROUGH 
OUT WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN 130 PM AND 245 
PM HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 3 INCHES IN MANY AREAS OF COLORADO SPRINGS. 
MONUMENT CREEK AND FOUNTAIN CREEK WERE BOTH RUNNING VERY FAST AND 
WERE NEAR BANK FULL IN SOME AREAS. CREEK RISES OF 3 TO 4 FEET HAVE 
BEEN REPORTED WITH A LOT OF DEBRIS MOVING FAST DOWNSTREAM AND 
COLLECTING AT BRIDGES. LOW AREAS ALONG CREEKS AND STREAMS HAVE 
QUICKLY BECOME UNSAFE. 

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

LAT...LON 3874 10459 3910 10418 3912 10494 3854 10490

$$
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 202223
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
418 PM MDT SAT AUG 20 2005

COC041-202228-
EL PASO CO-
418 PM MDT SAT AUG 20 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR NORTHERN AND WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY 
HAS EXPIRED...

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DECREASED IN INTENSITY AND MOVED SOUTH AND EAST 
OF COLORADO SPRINGS...AND HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING ARE NO 
LONGER OCCURRING ACROSS THE CITY.  

RUN OFF FROM EARLIER RAINS WILL KEEP WATER LEVELS HIGH ON FOUNTAIN 
CREEK THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...HOWEVER MOST SMALLER CREEKS AND 
DRAINAGES THAT FLOW INTO FOUNTAIN CREEK HAVE CRESTED...AND FLOWS IN 
THESE SMALLER STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE THROUGH THE 
EVENING.   

LAT...LON 3874 10459 3910 10418 3912 10494 3854 10490

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 20, 1:25 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso66 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2005Every flash flood warning in 2005

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.