Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2009

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Pueblo, CO

May 21, 2009Las Animas County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at May 21, 2009, 3:44 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
May 21, 2009, 3:44 PM MDT (21:44 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 2009, 6:45 PM MDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Las Animas County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 149 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:47 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, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 308 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 2009-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 16 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, Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM at 12:00Z on 2009-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -7 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
16 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-223 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1884 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-7 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
39 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 212144
FFWPUB
COC071-220045-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FF.W.0002.090521T2144Z-090522T0045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
344 PM MDT THU MAY 21 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL LAS ANIMAS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO...
  THIS INCLUDES TRINIDAD...

* UNTIL 645 PM MDT

* AT 341 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA.

* THE STORM PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER
  MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE INDICATED COUNTY.

DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT RAIN TOTALS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES HAVE 
OCCURRED OVER THE OPEN COUNTRY EAST OF INTERSTATE 25 AND SOUTH OF 
HIGHWAY 160 IN AN AREA EXTENDING FROM 2 MILS TO 14 MILES EAST 
SOUTHEAST OF TRINIDAD.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS 
EXPECTED IN THAT AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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. IF YOU DRIVE INTO
WATER THAT IS TOO DEEP...BACK UP. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A ROAD BARRIER IN
FRONT OF WATER ON THE ROAD...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3715 10455 3720 10448 3722 10428 3719 10411
      3712 10404 3699 10411 3699 10421 3709 10457

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS55 KPUB 212150 CCA
FFWPUB
COC071-220045-
/O.COR.KPUB.FF.W.0002.090521T2144Z-090522T0045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
344 PM MDT THU MAY 21 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL LAS ANIMAS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO...
  THIS INCLUDES TRINIDAD...

* UNTIL 645 PM MDT

* AT 341 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA.

* THE STORM PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER
  MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE INDICATED COUNTY.

DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT RAIN TOTALS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES HAVE 
OCCURRED OVER THE OPEN COUNTRY EAST OF INTERSTATE 25 AND SOUTH OF 
HIGHWAY 160 IN AN AREA EXTENDING FROM 2 MILES TO 14 MILES EAST 
SOUTHEAST OF TRINIDAD.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS 
EXPECTED IN THAT AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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. IF YOU DRIVE INTO
WATER THAT IS TOO DEEP...BACK UP. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A ROAD BARRIER IN
FRONT OF WATER ON THE ROAD...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3715 10455 3720 10448 3722 10428 3719 10411
      3712 10404 3699 10411 3699 10421 3709 10457

$$
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 212248
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
448 PM MDT THU MAY 21 2009

COC071-220045-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-090522T0045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LAS ANIMAS CO-
448 PM MDT THU MAY 21 2009

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM MDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL LAS ANIMAS COUNTY...

AT 440 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER THE WARNED 
AREA.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO TRINIDAD

DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT RAIN TOTALS OF 4 TO 5 INCHES HAVE  
OCCURRED OVER THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE RATON MESA JUST EAST OF 
TRINIDAD...AND ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF UP TO AN INCH IS EXPECTED IN 
THAT AREA. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL APPEARS TO HAVE FALLEN OVER THE SAN 
FRANCISCO AND FRIJOLE CREEK DRAINAGES EAST OF TRINIDAD. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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. IF YOU DRIVE INTO
WATER THAT IS TOO DEEP...BACK UP. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A ROAD BARRIER IN
FRONT OF WATER ON THE ROAD...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3715 10455 3720 10448 3722 10428 3719 10411
      3712 10404 3699 10411 3699 10421 3709 10457

$$
000 
WGUS75 KPUB 220045
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
645 PM MDT THU MAY 21 2009

COC071-220054-
/O.EXP.KPUB.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-090522T0045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LAS ANIMAS CO-
645 PM MDT THU MAY 21 2009

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 645 PM MDT FOR SOUTH 
CENTRAL LAS ANIMAS COUNTY...

HEAVY RAINFALL HAS MOVED OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL ANIMAS COUNTY...WITH 
MAINLY LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING. 

LAT...LON 3715 10455 3720 10448 3722 10428 3719 10411
      3712 10404 3699 10411 3699 10421 3709 10457

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 1:37 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBHuerfano, Las Animas2 hr
May 21, 1:53 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBLas Animas67 min
May 21, 1:56 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBHuerfano, Las Animas33 min
May 21, 3:32 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBLas Animas3 hr
May 21, 4:10 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBHuerfano, Las Animas3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2009Every flash flood warning 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.