Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2013

Flash Flood Warning 48, NWS Pueblo, CO

September 15, 2013El Paso County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Sep 15, 2013, 4:08 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
Sep 15, 2013, 4:08 PM MDT (22:08 UTC)
Expired
Sep 15, 2013, 7:00 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), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:10 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 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 181 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 2013-09-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 46 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 2013-09-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -47 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
46 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-12 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
661 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-2 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.

820 
WGUS55 KPUB 152208
FFWPUB
COC041-160100-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FF.W.0048.130915T2208Z-130916T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
408 PM MDT SUN SEP 15 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 700 PM MDT

* AT 402 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED  
  SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER MANITOU 
  SPRINGS. RADAR ESTIMATES 1 TO 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN OVER 
  THE AREA...WITH AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF RAIN POSSIBLE FROM THESE 
  SLOW MOVING STORMS. 

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...  
  MANITOU SPRINGS AND EXTREME WESTERN COLORADO SPRINGS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...SUTHERLAND 
CREEK...FOUNTAIN CREEK...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING QUEENS 
CANYON...GARDEN OF THE GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET 
CHANNEL...CABIN CREEK...MONUMENT CREEK AND WILLIAMS 
CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE INCH ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED 
AREA.

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.

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR
IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...
DIPS... OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING
STREAM... EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT OR IN A VEHICLE.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3887 10484 3881 10486 3883 10490 3885 10493
      3888 10491 3888 10490 3889 10488

$$
2 follow-up statements
402 
WGUS75 KPUB 152226
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
426 PM MDT SUN SEP 15 2013

COC041-160100-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0048.000000T0000Z-130916T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
426 PM MDT SUN SEP 15 2013

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL PASO
COUNTY UNTIL 700 PM MDT...

AT 424 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH MODERATE RAINFALL OVER MANITOU SPRINGS. RADAR 
ESTIMATES 1.5 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN OVER THE AREA...WITH 
AN ADDITIONAL .75 INCH OF RAIN POSSIBLE FROM THESE SLOW MOVING 
STORMS. 

RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING 
INCLUDE...MANITOU SPRINGS AND EXTREME WESTERN COLORADO SPRINGS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...SUTHERLAND 
CREEK...FOUNTAIN CREEK...CAMP CREEK...INCLUDING QUEENS 
CANYON...GARDEN OF THE GODS...ROCKLEDGE RANCH...31ST STREET 
CHANNEL...CABIN CREEK...WILLIAMS CANYON...INCLUDING MANITOU SPRINGS 
AND MONUMENT CREEK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR OTHER LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON
FOOT OR IN A VEHICLE.

IN HILLY TERRAIN...THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH
ARE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL
ACROSS FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW
INCHES OF SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR
OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND
IMMEDIATELY. RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE
IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 3887 10484 3881 10486 3883 10490 3885 10493
      3888 10491 3888 10490 3889 10488

$$
721 
WGUS75 KPUB 152323
FFSPUB

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
523 PM MDT SUN SEP 15 2013

COC041-152338-
/O.CAN.KPUB.FF.W.0048.000000T0000Z-130916T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EL PASO CO-
523 PM MDT SUN SEP 15 2013

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL EL
PASO COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

EXCESS RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER THE WARNED AREA. STREAMS
AND CREEKS IN THE WARNED AREA HAVE RECEDED OR WERE BEGINNING TO
RECEDE...ENDING 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.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF FLOODING WAS OBSERVED PLEASE RELAY YOUR REPORT TO LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OR TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO.

&&

LAT...LON 3887 10484 3881 10486 3883 10490 3885 10493
      3888 10491 3888 10490 3889 10488

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 14, 6:36 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 11:56 AM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 12:48 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 12:58 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 1:46 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBHuerfano3 hr
Sep 15, 2:15 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBFremont3 hr
Sep 15, 2:48 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningPUBFremont3 hr
Sep 15, 2:55 PM MDTRiver Flood WarningPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 2:58 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 3:24 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 3:59 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBEl Paso3 hr
Sep 15, 4:53 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPUBHuerfano, Pueblo3 hr

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.