Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 8, NWS Pueblo, CO

July 30, 2012El Paso County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Jul 30, 2012, 5:37 PM 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 30, 2012, 5:37 PM MDT (23:37 UTC)
Expired
Jul 30, 2012, 8:30 PM 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 23:37 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
Jul 30, 6:17 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 1.75Cascade, COPUBLIC REPORT OF 1.75 INCHES OF RAINFALL SINCE 530 PM.

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, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 180 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 2012-07-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 36 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 2012-07-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 4 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
36 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-260 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2058 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
48 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.

548 
WGUS55 KPUB 302337
FFWPUB
COC041-310230-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FF.W.0008.120730T2337Z-120731T0230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
537 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 830 PM MDT

* AT 536 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE 
  WARNED AREA. QUICK RAINFALLS OF ONE INCH OR MORE COULD OCCUR ON 
  THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR.

* 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 GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...FOUNTAIN 
CREEK...MONUMENT CREEK...NORTH DOUGLAS CREEK...INCLUDING OAK 
VALLEY...AND SUBDIVISIONS TO MONUMENT CREEK...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING 
QUEENS CANYON...GARDEN OF THE GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET 
CHANNEL...WALDO CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS...WELLINGTON 
GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA PARK...SAND GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA 
PARK...WEST MONUMENT CREEK...INCLUDING EXTREME SOUTHERN AIR FORCE 
ACADEMY...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.

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...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

&&

LAT...LON 3892 10484 3887 10493 3891 10500 3894 10503
      3894 10496 3896 10491

$$
4 follow-up statements
026 
WGUS75 KPUB 302351
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
551 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

COC041-310230-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120731T0230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
551 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 830 PM MDT...

AT 550 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. HEAVY 
RAIN WAS FALLING ACROSS UTE PASS.  ONE INCH RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE 
PROBABLE. A SPOTTER IN THE CASCADE AREA REPORTED 1/2 INCH OF RAIN 
WITH HEAVY RAIN STILL FALLING.

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 GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...FOUNTAIN 
CREEK...MONUMENT CREEK...NORTH DOUGLAS CREEK...INCLUDING OAK 
VALLEY...AND SUBDIVISIONS TO MONUMENT CREEK...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING 
QUEENS CANYON...GARDEN OF THE GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET 
CHANNEL...WALDO CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS...WELLINGTON 
GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA PARK...SAND GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA 
PARK...WEST MONUMENT CREEK...INCLUDING EXTREME SOUTHERN AIR FORCE 
ACADEMY...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.

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 3892 10484 3887 10493 3891 10500 3894 10503
      3894 10496 3896 10491

$$
026 
WGUS75 KPUB 310005
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
605 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

COC041-310230-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120731T0230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
605 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 830 PM MDT...

AT 604 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.  UP 
TO ONE INCH OF RAINFALL HAS BEEN ESTIMATED BY DOPPLER RADAR ACROSS 
UTE PASS.

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 GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...FOUNTAIN 
CREEK...MONUMENT CREEK...NORTH DOUGLAS CREEK...INCLUDING OAK 
VALLEY...AND SUBDIVISIONS TO MONUMENT CREEK...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING 
QUEENS CANYON...GARDEN OF THE GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET 
CHANNEL...WALDO CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS...WELLINGTON 
GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA PARK...SAND GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA 
PARK...WEST MONUMENT CREEK...INCLUDING EXTREME SOUTHERN AIR FORCE 
ACADEMY...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.

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 3892 10484 3887 10493 3891 10500 3894 10503
      3894 10496 3896 10491

$$
457 
WGUS75 KPUB 310038
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
638 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

COC041-310230-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120731T0230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
638 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 830 PM MDT...

AT 633 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT RAINFALL HAS DIMINISHED SOME IN INTENSITY ACROSS SOUTHERN AND 
EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR. HOWEVER...WATER WAS 
RUSHING DOWN GULCHES AND CANYONS.

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 GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS.

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF MUDSLIDES AROUND THE SOUTHERN 
AND EASTERN PERIMETER OF THE BURN SCAR.  US HIGHWAY 24 WAS CLOSED 
BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 292 AND 294 WEST OF CASCADE DUE TO A MUD SLIDE. 
THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF VEHICLES BEING SWEPT OFF THE HIGHWAY IN 
THAT AREA.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
FOUNTAIN CREEK...MONUMENT CREEK...NORTH DOUGLAS CREEK...INCLUDING OAK
VALLEY...AND SUBDIVISIONS TO MONUMENT CREEK...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING
QUEENS CANYON...GARDEN OF THE GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET
CHANNEL...WALDO CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS...WELLINGTON
GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA PARK...SAND GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA
PARK...WEST MONUMENT CREEK...INCLUDING EXTREME SOUTHERN AIR FORCE
ACADEMY...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.

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 3892 10484 3887 10493 3891 10500 3894 10503
      3894 10496 3896 10491

$$
472 
WGUS75 KPUB 310122
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
722 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

COC041-310230-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120731T0230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
722 PM MDT MON JUL 30 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 830 PM MDT...

AT 715 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT RAINFALL HAD ENDED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN SECTIONS OF 
THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR. RAINFALL REPORTS OF 2/3 OF AN INCH TO 
ONE INCH WAS REPORTED IN THESE AREAS.

THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL HAS CAUSED FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR IN AREAS 
SUCH AS...WESTERN COLORADO SPRINGS...CASCADE...CHIPITA PARK AND 
GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS.

AT 720 PM...SOUTH DOUGLAS DRAINAGE...AND CAMP CREEK DRAINAGE WERE 
NOT FLOODING.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
FOUNTAIN CREEK...MONUMENT CREEK...NORTH DOUGLAS CREEK...INCLUDING OAK
VALLEY...AND SUBDIVISIONS TO MONUMENT CREEK...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING
QUEENS CANYON...GARDEN OF THE GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET
CHANNEL...WALDO CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS...WELLINGTON
GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA PARK...SAND GULCH...INCLUDING CHIPITA
PARK...WEST MONUMENT CREEK...INCLUDING EXTREME SOUTHERN AIR FORCE
ACADEMY...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.

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 3892 10484 3887 10493 3891 10500 3894 10503
      3894 10496 3896 10491

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 30, 2:45 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBEl Paso105 min
Jul 30, 2:55 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso33 min
Jul 30, 5:18 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Jul 30, 5:46 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso44 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2012Every 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.