Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2020

Flash Flood Warning 55, NWS Pueblo, CO

August 3, 2020Costilla County, Huerfano County, Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this flash flood warning at Aug 3, 2020, 4:04 PM MDT for Costilla County, Huerfano 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: Aug 3, 2020, 4:04 PM MDT (22:04 UTC)
Expired: Aug 3, 2020, 7:00 PM MDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Pueblo, CO
Area: Storm-based polygon
Damage threat: Considerable
Flood severity: None

Counties Costilla County, CO, Huerfano County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 137 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:07 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
Aug 3, 5:25 PM MDT	FLASH FLOOD	6 N Cuchara, CO	DELAYED REPORT: MASSIVE FLASH FLOOD COMING DOWN INDIAN CREEK. VIDEO SHOWS SEVERAL NEW CHANNELS, RUSHING WATER SEVERAL FEET DEEP WITH AN EXPANSE NEARLY 100 FEET WIDE. CR 421 COMPLETELY INUNDATED.
Aug 3, 5:30 PM MDT	FLASH FLOOD	5 Sw La Veta, CO	DELAYED REPORT: RUSHING WATER ACROSS CR 421 ALONG INDIAN CREEK, ABOUT A FOOT DEEP. ROAD IS IMPASSABLE. VIDEO SENT TO OFFICE.
Aug 3, 5:31 PM MDT	FLASH FLOOD	3 Ne Cuchara, CO	HWY 12 WAS OVER-TOPPED AND A CAR BECAME STRANDED IN FLOOD WATERS.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 312 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: 57 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -477 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1630 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 40 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

504 
WGUS55 KPUB 032204
FFWPUB
COC023-055-040100-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FF.W.0055.200803T2204Z-200804T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
404 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2020

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  South central Huerfano County in southeastern Colorado...
  Northeastern Costilla County in south central Colorado...

* Until 700 PM MDT.

* At 403 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Around one half inch of rain has
  already fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
  shortly.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing 
           flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, 
           urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Spring Burn Scar south of Highway 160 in Costilla county, Indian
  Creek on the southeastern Spring Burn Scar and Spring Burn Scar
  south of Highway 160 in Huerfano county.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will result in debris flow 
moving through the Wagon Creek and Middle Creek drainages. The 
debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose 
materials.

This includes the following areas, Sulphur Springs on Indian Creek,
County Road 421 near Indian Creek, South Abeyta Creek near County
Road 441, and North Abeyta Creek near Highway 160.
  
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3756 10505 3741 10502 3740 10530 3754 10533
      3758 10526

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL...1-2 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

Heavener

2 follow-up statements

005 
WGUS75 KPUB 032236
FFSPUB

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
436 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2020

COC023-055-040100-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0055.000000T0000Z-200804T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Huerfano CO-Costilla CO-
436 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2020

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM MDT FOR
SOUTH CENTRAL HUERFANO AND NORTHEASTERN COSTILLA COUNTIES...

At 435 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy
rain across the warned area. Up to one inch of rain has already
fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing flash 
         flooding.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, 
         urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar may result in debris flow 
moving through the Middle Creek and Indian Creek drainages. The 
debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose 
materials.

Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Spring Burn Scar south of Highway 160 in Costilla county, Indian
Creek on the southeastern Spring Burn Scar and Spring Burn Scar south
of Highway 160 in Huerfano county.

This includes the following areas, Sulphur Springs on Indian Creek,
County Road 421 near Indian Creek, South Abeyta Creek near County
Road 441, and North Abeyta Creek near Highway 160.
  
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3756 10505 3741 10502 3740 10530 3754 10533
      3758 10526

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
EXPECTED RAINFALL...0.50-1 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$

Heavener

967 
WGUS75 KPUB 040008
FFSPUB

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
608 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2020

COC023-055-040100-
/O.CON.KPUB.FF.W.0055.000000T0000Z-200804T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Huerfano CO-Costilla CO-
608 PM MDT Mon Aug 3 2020

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM MDT FOR
SOUTH CENTRAL HUERFANO AND NORTHEASTERN COSTILLA COUNTIES...

At 606 PM MDT, law enforcement reported earlier heavy rain has lead 
to a flash flood and mudslide across Highway 12. Highway 12 from 
mile post 13-14 is currently closed.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing flash 
         flooding.

SOURCE...Law enforcement.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, 
         urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Excessive rainfall over the warned area has caused mud slides near 
steep terrain. The mud slide can consist of rock, mud, vegetation 
and other loose materials.

Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Spring Burn Scar south of Highway 160 in Costilla county, Indian
Creek on the southeastern Spring Burn Scar and Spring Burn Scar south
of Highway 160 in Huerfano county.

This includes the following areas, Sulphur Springs on Indian Creek,
County Road 421 near Indian Creek, South Abeyta Creek near County
Road 441, and North Abeyta Creek near Highway 160.
  
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3756 10505 3741 10502 3740 10530 3754 10533
      3758 10526

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

Heavener

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 2, 6:21 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Crowley, Kiowa	39 min
Aug 2, 6:44 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Crowley	31 min
Aug 2, 7:07 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Alamosa	23 min
Aug 2, 7:10 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Kiowa	35 min
Aug 2, 7:57 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Baca	18 min
Aug 2, 8:03 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Elbert	27 min
Aug 2, 8:33 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	El Paso	27 min
Aug 3, 1:08 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Rio Grande	37 min
Aug 3, 1:34 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Fremont	41 min
Aug 3, 1:43 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Custer, Fremont	30 min
Aug 3, 1:51 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	PUB	Chaffee, Fremont, Saguache	105 min
Aug 3, 2:25 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Custer	35 min
Aug 3, 2:49 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Custer	26 min
Aug 3, 2:56 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Custer, Huerfano, Pueblo	34 min
Aug 3, 3:09 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Saguache	51 min
Aug 3, 3:11 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Costilla, Custer, Huerfano	34 min
Aug 3, 3:15 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Saguache	45 min
Aug 3, 3:39 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Teller	36 min
Aug 3, 3:42 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	PUB	Costilla, Huerfano	3 hr
Aug 3, 3:57 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Saguache	48 min
Aug 3, 4:00 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Costilla, Huerfano, Las Animas	30 min
Aug 3, 4:14 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Teller	46 min
Aug 3, 4:29 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Costilla	46 min
Aug 3, 4:44 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Alamosa	31 min
Aug 3, 4:51 PM MDT	Special Weather Statement	PUB	Costilla	39 min
Aug 3, 4:57 PM MDT	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	PUB	Costilla, Huerfano, Las Animas	3 hr
Aug 3, 5:52 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PUB	Las Animas	23 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2020 Every flash flood warning in 2020

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.