Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 14, NWS Pueblo, CO

July 31, 2012El Paso County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Jul 31, 2012, 1:54 AM MDT for El Paso County, Colorado. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report 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: Jul 31, 2012, 1:54 AM MDT (07:54 UTC)
Expired: Jul 31, 2012, 5:00 AM MDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Pueblo, CO
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

County El Paso County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:56 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 31, 2:43 AM MDT	HEAVY RAIN 1.76	4 E Crystola, CO	RAMPART RANGE RAWS SITE STORM TOTAL

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 00:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 179 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: 144 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -163 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1672 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 63 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: -0.0
Supercell composite: -0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

920 
WGUS55 KPUB 310754
FFWPUB
COC041-311100-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FF.W.0014.120731T0754Z-120731T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
154 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL EL PASO COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO...

* UNTIL 500 AM MDT

* AT 152 AM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WALDO     
  CANYON BURN SCAR. AN ADDITIONAL HALF INCH OF RAINFALL WILL FALL    
  THROUGH 3 AM ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND.

* THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. RUNOFF FROM THIS
  EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME
  LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...COLORADO
  SPRINGS...CASCADE...CHIPITA PARK AND MANITOU SPRINGS.

JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ON A BURN SCAR CAN LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. WATER THAT IS NORMALLY ABSORBED BY THE SOILS AND
VEGETATION...RUNS OFF ALMOST INSTANTLY. THIS CAUSES CREEKS AND
DRAINAGE AREAS TO FLOOD AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN NORMAL. IN
ADDITION...THE SOILS IN A BURN SCAR BECOME UNSTABLE WHEN IT RAINS...
SOMETIMES RESULTING IN DEBRIS AND FALLING ROCK. ROADS CAN BE WASHED
OUT BY THE FORCE OF THE RUSHING WATER AND DEBRIS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
PUEBLO.

&&

LAT...LON 3897 10490 3893 10484 3885 10488 3885 10492
      3892 10502 3899 10499

$$

KAM

4 follow-up statements

720 
WGUS75 KPUB 310830
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
230 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

COC041-311100-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0014.000000T0000Z-120731T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
230 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 500 AM MDT...

AT 229 AM MDT...WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY 
HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RAINFALL RATES OF NEARLY HALF 
AN INCH AN HOUR HAVE BEEN REPORTED OVER THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR.

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. RUNOFF FROM THIS
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS
THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...COLORADO SPRINGS...CASCADE...
CHIPITA PARK AND MANITOU SPRINGS.

JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ON A BURN SCAR CAN LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. WATER THAT IS NORMALLY ABSORBED BY THE SOILS AND
VEGETATION...RUNS OFF ALMOST INSTANTLY. THIS CAUSES CREEKS AND
DRAINAGE AREAS TO FLOOD AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN NORMAL. IN
ADDITION...THE SOILS IN A BURN SCAR BECOME UNSTABLE WHEN IT RAINS...
SOMETIMES RESULTING IN DEBRIS AND FALLING ROCK. ROADS CAN BE WASHED
OUT BY THE FORCE OF THE RUSHING WATER AND DEBRIS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REPORT FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THEY
MAY TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO CLOSE FLOODED ROADWAYS. THEY WILL
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO.

&&

LAT...LON 3897 10490 3893 10484 3885 10488 3885 10492
      3892 10502 3899 10499

$$

KAM

708 
WGUS75 KPUB 310920
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
320 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

COC041-311100-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0014.000000T0000Z-120731T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
320 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 500 AM MDT...

AT 314 AM MDT...WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED NEAR A QUARTER INCH OF 
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACROSS THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR BETWEEN 2 AND 
3 AM MDT.  DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES ADDITIONAL LIGHT TO MODERATE 
SHOWERS WILL IMPACT THE BURN SCAR THROUGH 5 AM MDT.

THE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL COMBINED WITH THE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN THAT 
HAS ALREADY FALLEN ACROSS THE BURN SCAR WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT OF 
FLASH FLOODING AND DEBRIS FLOWS THROUGH 5 AM MDT.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...COLORADO
SPRINGS...CASCADE...CHIPITA PARK AND MANITOU SPRINGS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
MONUMENT CREEK...SEVERY CREEK...FOUNTAIN CREEK...FRENCH CREEK...NORTH
DOUGLAS CREEK...INCLUDING OAK VALLEY...AND SUBDIVISIONS TO MONUMENT
CREEK...WEST MONUMENT CREEK...INCLUDING EXTREME SOUTHERN AIR FORCE
ACADEMY...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING QUEENS CANYON...GARDEN OF THE
GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET CHANNEL...CABIN CREEK...WALDO
CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS...WELLINGTON GULCH...INCLUDING
CHIPITA PARK...SAND GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA PARK...DRY CREEK...
INCLUDING PEREGRINE AND ROCKRIMMON SUBDIVISIONS...SOUTH DOUGLAS
CREEK...INCLUDING MOUNTAIN SHADOWS...HOLLAND PARK AND EAST TO
MONUMENT CREEK AND WILLIAMS CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS. 

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. RUNOFF FROM THIS
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR.

JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ON A BURN SCAR CAN LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. WATER THAT IS NORMALLY ABSORBED BY THE SOILS AND
VEGETATION...RUNS OFF ALMOST INSTANTLY. THIS CAUSES CREEKS AND
DRAINAGE AREAS TO FLOOD AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN NORMAL. IN
ADDITION...THE SOILS IN A BURN SCAR BECOME UNSTABLE WHEN IT RAINS...
SOMETIMES RESULTING IN DEBRIS AND FALLING ROCK. ROADS CAN BE WASHED
OUT BY THE FORCE OF THE RUSHING WATER AND DEBRIS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REPORT FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THEY
MAY TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO CLOSE FLOODED ROADWAYS. THEY WILL
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO.

&&

LAT...LON 3897 10490 3893 10484 3885 10488 3885 10492
      3892 10502 3899 10499

$$

464 
WGUS75 KPUB 311031
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
431 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

COC041-311100-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0014.000000T0000Z-120731T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
431 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 500 AM MDT...

BETWEEN 3 AND 4 AM MDT...AN ESTIMATED ONE TENTH OF AN INCH OF 
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL FELL ACROSS THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR.  DOPPLER 
RADAR INDICATES THAT THE SHOWERS HAVE MOST LIKELY ENDED ACROSS THE 
WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT.  THERE MIGHT 
POSSIBLY BE AN ADDITIONAL LIGHT SHOWER BEFORE ALL IS SAID AND DONE 
BUT IT IS NOT LOOKING VERY LIKELY AT THIS TIME.

THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE BURN SCAR FOR 
THE HEAVY RAIN THAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN AND ANY SUBSEQUENT RUNOFF 
AND DEBRIS FLOWS THAT MAY STILL BE OCCURRING AS A RESULT OF THAT 
RAINFALL.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...COLORADO
SPRINGS...CASCADE...CHIPITA PARK AND MANITOU SPRINGS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
MONUMENT CREEK...SEVERY CREEK...FOUNTAIN CREEK...FRENCH CREEK...NORTH
DOUGLAS CREEK...INCLUDING OAK VALLEY...AND SUBDIVISIONS TO MONUMENT
CREEK...WEST MONUMENT CREEK...INCLUDING EXTREME SOUTHERN AIR FORCE
ACADEMY...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING QUEENS CANYON...GARDEN OF THE
GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET CHANNEL...CABIN CREEK...WALDO
CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS...WELLINGTON GULCH...INCLUDING
CHIPITA PARK...SAND GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA PARK...DRY CREEK...
INCLUDING PEREGRINE AND ROCKRIMMON SUBDIVISIONS...SOUTH DOUGLAS
CREEK...INCLUDING MOUNTAIN SHADOWS...HOLLAND PARK AND EAST TO
MONUMENT CREEK AND WILLIAMS CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS. 

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. RUNOFF FROM THIS
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR.

JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ON A BURN SCAR CAN LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. WATER THAT IS NORMALLY ABSORBED BY THE SOILS AND
VEGETATION...RUNS OFF ALMOST INSTANTLY. THIS CAUSES CREEKS AND
DRAINAGE AREAS TO FLOOD AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN NORMAL. IN
ADDITION...THE SOILS IN A BURN SCAR BECOME UNSTABLE WHEN IT RAINS...
SOMETIMES RESULTING IN DEBRIS AND FALLING ROCK. ROADS CAN BE WASHED
OUT BY THE FORCE OF THE RUSHING WATER AND DEBRIS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REPORT FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THEY
MAY TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO CLOSE FLOODED ROADWAYS. THEY WILL
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO.

&&

LAT...LON 3897 10490 3893 10484 3885 10488 3885 10492
      3892 10502 3899 10499

$$

290 
WGUS75 KPUB 311059
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
459 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

COC041-311113-
/O.EXP.KPUB.FF.W.0014.000000T0000Z-120731T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
459 AM MDT TUE JUL 31 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL
PASO COUNTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 500 AM MDT...

EXCESS RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER THE WARNED AREA. STREAMS
AND CREEKS IN THE WARNED WERE BEGINNING TO RECEDE...DIMINISHING THE 
FLOOD THREAT. IF FLOODING HAS BEEN OBSERVED...PLEASE REPORT IT TO 
YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF RAINFALL ON A BURN SCAR CAN LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. WATER THAT IS NORMALLY ABSORBED BY THE SOILS AND
VEGETATION...RUNS OFF ALMOST INSTANTLY. THIS CAUSES CREEKS AND
DRAINAGE AREAS TO FLOOD AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN NORMAL. IN
ADDITION...THE SOILS IN A BURN SCAR BECOME UNSTABLE WHEN IT RAINS...
SOMETIMES RESULTING IN DEBRIS AND FALLING ROCK. ROADS CAN BE WASHED
OUT BY THE FORCE OF THE RUSHING WATER AND DEBRIS.

LAT...LON 3897 10490 3893 10484 3885 10488 3885 10492
      3892 10502 3899 10499

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 30, 6:20 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning	PUB	El Paso	2 hr
Jul 30, 7:05 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	El Paso	38 min
Jul 30, 7:12 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	El Paso	25 min
Jul 30, 7:32 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	El Paso	58 min
Jul 30, 8:01 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Huerfano, Pueblo	59 min
Jul 30, 8:06 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning	PUB	El Paso	114 min
Jul 30, 9:04 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning	PUB	El Paso	3 hr
Jul 30, 10:02 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning	PUB	El Paso	118 min
Jul 30, 11:55 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning	PUB	El Paso	2 hr
Jul 31, 12:38 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	Las Animas	2 hr
Jul 31, 2:09 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Las Animas	32 min
Jul 31, 2:28 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	Las Animas	112 min
Jul 31, 2:59 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	El Paso, Fremont, Teller	18 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2012 Every flash flood warning in 2012

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.