Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 17, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

May 15, 2015Phillips County, Sedgwick County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2015, 6:45 PM MDT for Phillips County, Sedgwick County, Colorado. It was in force for 45 min. 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
May 15, 2015, 6:45 PM MDT (00:45 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 2015, 7:30 PM MDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Phillips County, CO, Sedgwick County, CO

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 147 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:48 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
May 15, 7:00 PM MDTHAIL 1.256 Ese Fairfield, 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 15, 12:58 PM MDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 114 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 2015-05-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 411 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 00:00Z on 2015-05-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -10 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
411 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-19 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1427 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
73 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

623 
WFUS55 KBOU 160045
TORBOU
COC095-115-160130-
/O.NEW.KBOU.TO.W.0017.150516T0045Z-150516T0130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  PHILLIPS COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN COLORADO...
  SOUTHEASTERN SEDGWICK COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN COLORADO...

* UNTIL 730 PM MDT

* AT 644 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR HOLYOKE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO. 

  SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A FUNNEL 
  CLOUD. 

  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...
  HOLYOKE...PAOLI...PLEASANT VALLEY...SIXTEEN-MILE CORNER AND
  AMHERST.

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 YOU ARE IN A MOBILE
HOME...A VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4046 10244 4070 10250 4097 10206 4045 10205
TIME...MOT...LOC 0044Z 234DEG 22KT 4059 10235 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

BARJENBRUCH
3 follow-up statements
088 
WWUS55 KBOU 160100
SVSBOU

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
700 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015

COC095-115-160130-
/O.CON.KBOU.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-150516T0130Z/
PHILLIPS CO-SEDGWICK CO-
700 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM MDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN PHILLIPS AND SOUTHEASTERN SEDGWICK COUNTIES...
        
AT 658 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER AMHERST...OR 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF HOLYOKE...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A WELL        
         DEVELOPED WALL CLOUD AND FUNNEL CLOUD. A TORNADO MAY
         DEVELOP QUICKLY. 

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...
HOLYOKE...SIXTEEN-MILE CORNER AND AMHERST. 

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 4056 10234 4074 10243 4097 10206 4055 10207
TIME...MOT...LOC 0058Z 246DEG 31KT 4066 10219 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

BARJENBRUCH
723 
WWUS55 KBOU 160111
SVSBOU

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
711 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015

COC095-115-160130-
/O.CON.KBOU.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-150516T0130Z/
PHILLIPS CO-SEDGWICK CO-
711 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM MDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN PHILLIPS AND SOUTHEASTERN SEDGWICK COUNTIES...
        
AT 710 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED 4 MILES EAST OF SIXTEEN-MILE CORNER...OR 13 MILES
NORTHEAST OF HOLYOKE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A WALL CLOUD AND OCCASAIONAL 
         FUNNELS WITH THIS STORM. A TORNADO MAY DEVELOP QUICKLY. 

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...
SIXTEEN-MILE CORNER AND AMHERST. 

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 4062 10216 4079 10235 4097 10206 4062 10207
TIME...MOT...LOC 0110Z 232DEG 28KT 4074 10215 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.25IN

$$

BARJENBRUCH
335 
WWUS55 KBOU 160130
SVSBOU

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
730 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015

COC095-115-160139-
/O.EXP.KBOU.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-150516T0130Z/
PHILLIPS CO-SEDGWICK CO-
730 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN PHILLIPS AND SOUTHEASTERN
SEDGWICK COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 730 PM MDT...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA. 
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.  HOWEVER HEAVY RAIN 
AND MINOR FLOODING IS STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.  DO NOT 
DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED AREAS. 

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM MDT FOR NORTHEASTERN
COLORADO.

LAT...LON 4062 10216 4079 10235 4097 10206 4062 10207
TIME...MOT...LOC 0128Z 234DEG 22KT 4074 10215 

$$

BARJENBRUCH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 6:22 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUPhillips, Sedgwick38 min
May 15, 6:26 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUPhillips34 min
May 16, 12:51 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBOUSedgwick39 min
May 16, 1:56 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBOUJefferson49 min
May 16, 2:04 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOUDouglas, Jefferson116 min
May 16, 3:17 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBOUWashington43 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 2015Every tornado warning in 2015Tornadoes in 2015

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.