Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2017

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Pueblo, CO

July 15, 2017El Paso County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Jul 15, 2017, 3:18 PM MDT for El Paso County, Colorado. It was in force for 3 hr. 3 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: Jul 15, 2017, 3:18 PM MDT (21:18 UTC)
Expired: Jul 15, 2017, 6:15 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 21:18 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
Jul 15, 3:44 PM MDT	HEAVY RAIN 1	5 Ne Manitou Springs, CO	RAINFALL RATE, ACCORDING TO THEIR HOME WEATHER STATION, ARE 2.94/HOUR.
Jul 15, 4:16 PM MDT	HEAVY RAIN 0.6	4 Nne Manitou Springs, CO
Jul 15, 4:17 PM MDT	HEAVY RAIN 1.42	3 Sw Air Force Academy, CO	FELL IN APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 175 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 1714 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 1 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 58 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

791 
WGUS55 KPUB 152118
FFWPUB
COC041-160015-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FF.W.0019.170715T2118Z-170716T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
318 PM MDT SAT JUL 15 2017

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Northwestern El Paso County in east central Colorado... 
  Including the Air Force Academy and the Waldo Canyon Burn Scar.

* Until 615 PM MDT

* At 314 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is expected to
  begin shortly.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Northwestern Colorado Springs, Air Force Academy, Manitou Springs,
  Cascade, Chipita Park and the Waldo Canyon Burn Scar area.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will result in debris flow 
moving through the Waldo Canyon Burn scar, including the northern 
half of the scar that drains into West Monument Creek toward the Air 
Force Academy.  The debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation 
and other loose materials.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

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.

Move away from recently burned areas. Life-threatening flooding of
creeks, roads and normally dry arroyos is likely. The heavy rains
will likely trigger rockslides, mudslides and debris flows in steep
terrain, especially in and around these areas.

&&

LAT...LON 3896 10478 3888 10484 3884 10490 3889 10499
      3897 10501 3903 10490 3901 10483

$$

LW

2 follow-up statements

272 
WGUS75 KPUB 152147
FFSPUB

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
347 PM MDT SAT JUL 15 2017

COC041-160015-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0019.000000T0000Z-170716T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
El Paso CO-
347 PM MDT SAT JUL 15 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM MDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN EL PASO COUNTY...
...THIS INCLUDES THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR AND THE AIR FORCE 
ACADEMY...

At 333 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy 
rain across the warned area. Doppler radar indicates that up to 1.8 
inches of rain has already fallen across extreme north portions of 
the scar draining into West Monument Creek and the Air Force 
Academy. A public report indicated 1 inch of rain had already fallen 
in 15 minutes near the southeast edge of the scar, northeast of 
Manitou Springs. Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly if it 
is not already occurring.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will result in debris flow 
moving through the West Monument Creek, Kettle Creek and Dry Creek 
Drainages.  Debris flows may also impact the Douglas and Camp Creek 
Drainages across the more eastern and southern portions of the scar. 
The debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose 
materials.

Some locations that may experience flooding include...
The Air Force Academy, residential areas adjacent to the eastern and 
southern edges of the Waldo Canyon burn scar and possibly Manitou 
Springs, Cascade and Chipita Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

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.

Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain.
Arroyos, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a
matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall.

Move away from recently burned areas. Life-threatening flooding of
creeks, roads and normally dry arroyos is likely. The heavy rains
will likely trigger rockslides, mudslides and debris flows in steep
terrain, especially in and around these areas.

&&

LAT...LON 3896 10478 3888 10484 3884 10490 3889 10499
      3897 10501 3903 10490 3901 10483

$$

LW

210 
WGUS75 KPUB 152226
FFSPUB

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
426 PM MDT SAT JUL 15 2017

COC041-152232-
/O.CAN.KPUB.FF.W.0019.000000T0000Z-170716T0015Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
El Paso CO-
426 PM MDT SAT JUL 15 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN EL PASO COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

Heavy rainfall has moved off of the Waldo Canyon burn scar and any 
flood waters in and around the scar are likely receding. No 
additional heavy rain is expected.  Therefore, flooding is no longer 
expected and the Flash Flood Warning has been cancelled.  Please 
continue to heed any remaining road closures and do not drive 
through areas where water still covers the road.

LAT...LON 3896 10478 3888 10484 3884 10490 3889 10499
      3897 10501 3903 10490 3901 10483

$$

LW

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 14, 6:39 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	Fremont, Pueblo	2 hr
Jul 14, 6:49 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	Chaffee, Fremont	116 min
Jul 14, 9:00 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	Custer, Fremont	2 hr
Jul 15, 1:22 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	El Paso	113 min
Jul 15, 1:34 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning	PUB	El Paso	116 min
Jul 15, 3:03 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	El Paso	117 min
Jul 15, 3:04 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Baca	11 min
Jul 15, 4:43 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Kiowa	47 min
Jul 15, 4:47 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Otero	43 min
Jul 15, 4:49 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Costilla	41 min
Jul 15, 5:11 PM MDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PUB	Kiowa	2 hr
Jul 15, 5:46 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Alamosa	29 min
Jul 15, 5:47 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Prowers	43 min
Jul 15, 5:55 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning	PUB	Kiowa	2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2017 Every flash flood warning in 2017

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.