Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2013

Flash Flood Warning 29, NWS Pueblo, CO

August 22, 2013El Paso County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Aug 22, 2013, 8:31 PM MDT for El Paso 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
Aug 22, 2013, 8:31 PM MDT (02:31 UTC)
Expired
Aug 22, 2013, 11:30 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), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:32 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

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 00:00Z, 2.5 hours before the alert went out and 178 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 00:00Z on 2013-08-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 176 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 00:00Z on 2013-08-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 11 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
176 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-53 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2103 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

633 
WGUS55 KPUB 230231
FFWPUB
COC041-230530-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FF.W.0029.130823T0231Z-130823T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
831 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 1130 PM MDT

* AT 825 PM MDT...THE FLOOD WAVE COMING DOWN THE FOUNTAIN CREEK WAS  
  1 TO 2 MILES EAST OF CASCADE. THIS FLOOD WAVE WAS ABOUT 2 MILES    
  FROM MANITOU SPRINGS. IT WILL MOVE INTO MANITOU SPRINGS BETWEEN    
  BETWEEN 845 PM AND 1030 PM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS               
  SITUATION. ADDITIONALLY...MORE RAIN IS MOVING OVER THE WALDO BURN  
  SCAR AND SOME OF THIS RAIN MAY BECOME HEAVY THIS EVENING.          
  ADDITIONAL NEW FLOODING MAY OCCUR.

* 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...CRYSTOLA...GREEN MOUNTAIN       
  FALLS   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.

LAT...LON 3895 10483 3880 10480 3891 10503 3902 10502

$$
5 follow-up statements
775 
WGUS75 KPUB 230304
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
904 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

COC041-230530-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-130823T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
904 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 1130 PM MDT...

AT 859 PM MDT...WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED 0.50 INCHES OF RAIN HAS 
FALLEN IN 12 MINUTES 2 MILES NORTH OF WOODLAND PARK. THIS HEAVY RAIN 
MAY AFFECT SECTIONS OF THE WALDO BURN SCAR AFTER 930 PM.

SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE MANITOU SPRING 
AREA THROUGH 1030 PM AS A FLOOD WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE TOWN. THIS IS 
A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. 

LAT...LON 3895 10483 3880 10480 3891 10503 3902 10502

$$
148 
WGUS75 KPUB 230334
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
934 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

COC041-230530-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-130823T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
934 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 1130 PM MDT...

AT 930 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN...WITH POCKETS OF  HEAVY RAIN...WERE 
OCCURRING OVER THE WALDO BURN SCAR. 

IN ADDITION...THE FLOOD WAVE WAS MOVING THROUGH MANITOU SPRING AND 
FOUNTAIN CREEK WAS NEAR BANKFUL IN DOWNTOWN MANITOU SPRINGS. THERE 
IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY THAT THE CREEK MAY GO OVER ITS BANKS. 

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...CRYSTOLA...GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS 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.

LAT...LON 3895 10483 3880 10480 3891 10503 3902 10502

$$
127 
WGUS75 KPUB 230404
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1004 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

COC041-230530-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-130823T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
1004 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 1130 PM MDT...

AT 1000 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN OCCURRING OVER THE 
WALDO BURN SCAR. RADAR ESTIMATES BETWEEN 0.10 TO 0.40 INCHES OF RAIN 
HAS FALLEN OVER THE BURN SCAR BETWEEN 9 PM AND 10 PM. THE 
HEAVIEST RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE BURN SCAR. 

THE UPPER WILLIAMS RAIN GAGE ABOVE MANITOU SPRINGS REPORTED 0.27 
INCHES OF RAIN IN THE LAST HOUR. THE RAMPART RAWS STATION REPORTED 
0.40 INCHES OF RAIN.

THE FLOOD WAVE CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS DOWNTOWN MANITOU SPRINGS. 
THE CREEK WAS NEAR BANKFUL AS IT WAS MOVING THROUGH DOWNTOWN. 

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...CRYSTOLA...GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS 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.

LAT...LON 3895 10483 3880 10480 3891 10503 3902 10502

$$
103 
WGUS75 KPUB 230445
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1045 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

COC041-230530-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-130823T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
1045 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 1130 PM MDT...

AT 1040 PM MDT...MEDIA REPORTS THE FLOOD WAVE IN MANITOU SPRINGS IS 
DECREASING. 

AT 1040 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE WALDO BURN 
SCAR. RAIN GAGES ON THE BURN SCAR INDICATE 0.30 AND 0.60 INCHES OF 
RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER THE BURN SCAR BETWEEN 940 PM AND 1040 PM. 

MODERATE RAIN...WITH EMBEDDED HEAVY RAIN...WILL LIKELY LAST UNTIL AT 
LEAST MIDNIGHT ACROSS THE BURN SCAR. IF THE RAIN DOES NOT LET 
UP...THEN THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED. 

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 3895 10483 3880 10480 3891 10503 3902 10502

$$
410 
WGUS75 KPUB 230527
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1127 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

COC041-230530-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0029.000000T0000Z-130823T0530Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
1127 PM MDT THU AUG 22 2013

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 1130 PM MDT...

THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE WALDO BURN SCAR WILL EXPIRE AT 1130 
PM. STEADY LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE RAIN WAS FALLING OVER THE 
WALDO BURN SCAR...BUT COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 
PERSONNEL PATROLLING THE HIGHWAY INDICATED THAT NO FLOODING WAS 
OCCURRING ALONG HIGHWAY 24. 

LAT...LON 3895 10483 3880 10480 3891 10503 3902 10502

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 22, 6:06 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso39 min
Aug 22, 6:12 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Aug 22, 6:12 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Aug 22, 6:34 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso41 min
Aug 22, 6:45 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso45 min
Aug 22, 7:00 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Aug 22, 7:19 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBHuerfano, Pueblo3 hr
Aug 22, 7:32 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Aug 22, 8:08 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso52 min
Aug 22, 8:17 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBPueblo3 hr
Aug 22, 8:55 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso, Teller3 hr
Aug 22, 8:55 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBEl Paso50 min
Aug 22, 9:11 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBPueblo3 hr
Aug 22, 9:33 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBFremont3 hr
Aug 22, 9:41 PM MDTRiver Flood WarningPUBEl Paso9 hr
Aug 22, 9:59 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Aug 22, 10:18 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Aug 22, 11:27 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningPUBEl Paso, Teller6 hr
Aug 22, 11:54 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBPueblo2 hr
Aug 23, 2:02 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBFremont118 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2013Every flash flood warning in 2013

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.