Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 40, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

June 15, 2009Douglas County, Elbert County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at Jun 15, 2009, 1:23 PM MDT for Douglas County, Elbert County, Colorado. It was in force for 31 min. 3 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
Jun 15, 2009, 1:23 PM MDT (19:23 UTC)
Expired
Jun 15, 2009, 1:54 PM MDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Douglas County, CO, Elbert County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:24 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
Jun 15, 1:52 PM MDTTORNADO12 Se Castle Rock, CO
Jun 15, 1:53 PM MDTTORNADO4 W Elbert, CODAMAGE TO BARN.
Jun 15, 1:56 PM MDTHAIL 1.54 W Elbert, CO

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, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 130 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 2009-06-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 396 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 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 2009-06-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 6 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
396 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-179 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
999 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
110 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WFUS55 KBOU 151923
TORBOU
COC035-039-152015-
/O.NEW.KBOU.TO.W.0040.090615T1923Z-090615T2015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
123 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO
  EAST CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO

* UNTIL 215 PM MDT

* AT 123 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF ELIZABETH...OR 30 MILES NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS.
  THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PONDEROSA
  PARK...ELIZABETH AND ELBERT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SAFE SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN
THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR
HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 3946 10448 3920 10450 3920 10473 3941 10474
TIME...MOT...LOC 1923Z 246DEG 14KT 3928 10464

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS55 KBOU 151933
SVSBOU

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
133 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

COC035-039-152015-
/O.CON.KBOU.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-090615T2015Z/
ELBERT CO-DOUGLAS CO-
133 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM MDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL DOUGLAS AND WEST CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTIES...

AT 133 PM MDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO.  THIS
STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF ELBERT...OR 29 MILES NORTH OF
COLORADO SPRINGS. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

LOCATIONS REMAINING IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
PONDEROSA PARK...ELIZABETH AND ELBERT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 3946 10448 3920 10450 3920 10473 3941 10474
TIME...MOT...LOC 1933Z 252DEG 12KT 3927 10461

$$
000 
WWUS55 KBOU 151943
SVSBOU

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
143 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

COC035-039-152015-
/O.CON.KBOU.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-090615T2015Z/
ELBERT CO-DOUGLAS CO-
143 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM MDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL DOUGLAS AND WEST CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTIES...

AT 138 PM MDT...NUMEROUS TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A 
TORNADO.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF ELBERT...
OR 30 MILES NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST 
SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

THE TOWN OF ELBERT IS IN THE TRACK OF THIS TORNADO.  SEEK SHELTER 
IMMEDIATELY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 3946 10448 3920 10450 3920 10473 3941 10474
TIME...MOT...LOC 1938Z 252DEG 12KT 3927 10459

$$
000 
WWUS55 KBOU 151954
SVSBOU

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
154 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

COC035-039-152002-
/O.CAN.KBOU.TO.W.0040.000000T0000Z-090615T2015Z/
ELBERT CO-DOUGLAS CO-
154 PM MDT MON JUN 15 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY IS 
CANCELLED...

A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTY
UNTIL 230 PM MDT.

RESIDENTS IN AND NEAR THE TOWN OF ELBERT NEED TO SEEK SHELTER 
IMMEDIATELY

LAT...LON 3946 10448 3920 10450 3920 10473 3941 10474
TIME...MOT...LOC 1952Z 252DEG 12KT 3928 10453

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 14, 6:00 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULogan20 min
Jun 14, 6:09 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULogan, Washington10 min
Jun 15, 12:46 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUDouglas, Elbert30 min
Jun 15, 1:51 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUElbert39 min
Jun 15, 1:56 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULarimer49 min
Jun 15, 2:00 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUArapahoe30 min
Jun 15, 2:04 PM MDTTornado WarningBOULarimer26 min
Jun 15, 2:23 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUElbert52 min
Jun 15, 2:38 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOULarimer, Weld25 min
Jun 15, 2:40 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOULarimer95 min
Jun 15, 3:12 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUElbert48 min
Jun 15, 3:44 PM MDTTornado WarningBOUElbert, Lincoln46 min
Jun 15, 3:55 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUMorgan, Weld50 min
Jun 15, 4:03 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOUSedgwick87 min
Jun 15, 4:24 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOUSedgwick3 hr
Jun 15, 4:54 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUSedgwick20 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

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.