Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 2014
Tornado Warning 17, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2014, 1:56 PM MDT for Adams County, Arapahoe County, Denver County, Colorado. It was in force for 34 min. 6 reports 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
- May 21, 2014, 1:56 PM MDT (19:56 UTC)
- Expired
- May 21, 2014, 2:30 PM MDT
- In force
- 34 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.25 in
Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe County, CO, Denver County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2:05 PM MDT | TORNADO | W Aurora, CO | |
| May 21, 2:10 PM MDT | TORNADO | 3 Sw Aurora, CO | RAIN WRAPPED |
| May 21, 2:25 PM MDT | HAIL 0.75 | Aurora, CO | MINOR STREET FLOODING |
| May 21, 2:30 PM MDT | HAIL 0.5 | Aurora, CO | COVERED THE GROUND TO A DEPTH OF 6 INCHES |
| May 21, 2:30 PM MDT | TORNADO | 4 Ne Aurora, CO | |
| May 21, 2:30 PM MDT | TORNADO | E Denver, CO |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 12:34 PM MDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 8 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 143 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 268 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -75 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 786 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 36 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 86 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 158 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.1
- Supercell composite
- 2.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
079
WFUS55 KBOU 211956
TORBOU
COC001-005-031-212030-
/O.NEW.KBOU.TO.W.0017.140521T1956Z-140521T2030Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
156 PM MDT WED MAY 21 2014
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHWESTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...
CENTRAL DENVER COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...
WESTERN ADAMS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...
* UNTIL 230 PM MDT
* AT 156 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER COMMERCE CITY...OR 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF
DENVER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THIS TORNADO WARNING REPLACES
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT.
HAZARD...TORNADO AND HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL.
SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.
IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE
DAMAGE IS LIKELY.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DENVER...NORTHWESTERN AURORA...SOUTHERN THORNTON...EASTERN
ARVADA...SOUTHERN WESTMINSTER...COMMERCE CITY...SOUTHEASTERN
NORTHGLENN...BRIGHTON...EASTERN ENGLEWOOD...GREENWOOD VILLAGE...
FEDERAL HEIGHTS...SOUTHWESTERN DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND
BARR LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A
VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
&&
LAT...LON 3998 10479 3974 10468 3962 10495 3982 10506
3984 10505 3985 10505
TIME...MOT...LOC 1956Z 226DEG 9KT 3981 10490
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.25IN
$$
DANKERS2 follow-up statements
297
WWUS55 KBOU 212008
SVSBOU
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
208 PM MDT WED MAY 21 2014
COC001-005-031-212030-
/O.CON.KBOU.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-140521T2030Z/
ARAPAHOE CO-DENVER CO-ADAMS CO-
208 PM MDT WED MAY 21 2014
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM MDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN ARAPAHOE...CENTRAL DENVER AND WESTERN ADAMS COUNTIES...
AT 205 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR COMMERCE CITY...OR 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF DENVER...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. AN ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM CELL OVER THE
SOUTHERN PARTS OF DENVER WILL PRODUCE HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE AND MAY
ALSO PRODUCE SOME FUNNEL CLOUDS.
A TORNADO HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE GROUND AT TOWER ROAD AND SMITH
ROAD. THE TORNADO IS PROBABLY WRAPPED IN VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.
HAZARD...TORNADO AND HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL.
SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.
IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE DAMAGE IS
LIKELY.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DENVER...NORTHWESTERN AURORA...SOUTHERN THORNTON...EASTERN ARVADA...
SOUTHERN WESTMINSTER...COMMERCE CITY...SOUTHEASTERN NORTHGLENN...
BRIGHTON...EASTERN ENGLEWOOD...GREENWOOD VILLAGE...FEDERAL HEIGHTS...
SOUTHWESTERN DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND BARR LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A
VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
&&
LAT...LON 3998 10479 3974 10468 3962 10495 3982 10506
3984 10505 3985 10505
TIME...MOT...LOC 2005Z 227DEG 9KT 3982 10488
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.25IN
$$
DANKERS827
WWUS55 KBOU 212028
SVSBOU
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
228 PM MDT WED MAY 21 2014
COC001-005-031-212036-
/O.EXP.KBOU.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-140521T2030Z/
ARAPAHOE CO-DENVER CO-ADAMS CO-
228 PM MDT WED MAY 21 2014
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN ARAPAHOE...CENTRAL DENVER AND
WESTERN ADAMS COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 230 PM MDT...
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. HOWEVER SMALL HAIL
AND HEAVY RAIN ARE STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM MDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEAST COLORADO.
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WARNING STILL REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTAL
ADAMS AND CENTRAL ARAPAHOE COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM MDT.
LAT...LON 3998 10479 3974 10468 3962 10495 3982 10506
3984 10505 3985 10505
TIME...MOT...LOC 2023Z 226DEG 9KT 3982 10488
$$
DANKERSThe office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 6:19 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe, Elbert, Lincoln, Washington | 41 min |
| May 20, 10:51 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | BOU | Weld | 39 min |
| May 20, 11:43 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | BOU | Weld | 62 min |
| May 20, 11:51 PM MDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BOU | Morgan, Weld | 114 min |
| May 21, 6:47 AM MDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BOU | Morgan | 3 hr |
| May 21, 1:00 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Jefferson | 45 min |
| May 21, 1:36 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver | 39 min |
| May 21, 2:21 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Denver | 39 min |
| May 21, 2:23 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver | 22 min |
| May 21, 2:42 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe | 33 min |
| May 21, 3:18 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe, Denver | 27 min |
| May 21, 3:47 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe | 28 min |
| May 21, 3:57 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Douglas, Elbert | 48 min |
| May 21, 4:18 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe | 42 min |
| May 21, 4:57 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Adams | 48 min |
| May 21, 5:34 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Morgan, Washington | 41 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 2014Every tornado warning in 2014Tornadoes in 2014
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.