Alert archive / Colorado / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 78, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

August 19, 2021Phillips County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this flash flood warning at Aug 19, 2021, 7:43 PM MDT for Phillips County, Colorado. It was in force for 3 hr. 12 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 19, 2021, 7:43 PM MDT (01:43 UTC)
Expired
Aug 19, 2021, 10:45 PM MDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

County Phillips County, CO

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:47 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
Aug 19, 7:52 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 2.481 Ne Amherst, CO
Aug 19, 7:53 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 22 N Amherst, CO
Aug 19, 7:55 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 3.41 E Holyoke, CO
Aug 19, 7:58 PM MDTFLASH FLOOD1 E Holyoke, COSEVERAL HOUSES HAD WATER RISE UP TO THE FRONT DOORS.
Aug 19, 8:05 PM MDTFLASH FLOOD5 Wsw Pleasant Valley, COSIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING 6 MILES EAST OF HOLYOKE ON U.S. HIGHWAY 6.
Aug 19, 8:08 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 5.295 S Holyoke, CO
Aug 19, 8:13 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 6.614 Ese Pleasant Valley, CO
Aug 19, 8:27 PM MDTFLASH FLOOD7 Ssw Pleasant Valley, COWIDESPREAD FLOODING OF ROADS, DITCHES, AND FIELDS. AT LEAST ONE ROAD CROSSING FRENCHMAN CREEK ARE IMPASSABLE. FRENCHMAN CREEK AND OTHER STREAMS HAVE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING.
Aug 19, 8:36 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 3.943 Sw Holyoke, CO
Aug 19, 8:40 PM MDTFLASH FLOOD8 Sse Pleasant Valley, COTHREE 6 INCH RAIN GAUGES ON HIS FARM OVERFLOWED.
Aug 19, 8:44 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 74 Ese Pleasant Valley, CO
Aug 19, 8:54 PM MDTHEAVY RAIN 7.57 Se Holyoke, CO

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 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 108 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 2021-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 56 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 2021-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 52 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
56 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-210 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1497 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
222 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

937 
WGUS55 KBOU 200143
FFWBOU
COC095-200445-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FF.W.0078.210820T0143Z-210820T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Denver CO
743 PM MDT Thu Aug 19 2021

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Eastern Phillips County in northeastern Colorado...

* Until 1045 PM MDT.

* At 743 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 6 inches of rain 
  have fallen with locally higher amounts. Flash flooding is ongoing 
  in Holyoke with Main Street flooded. Flooding is likely far worse 
  southeast of Holyoke where the heaviest rain has fallen.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms
           producing flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
           roads, and low lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Holyoke, Amherst and Pleasant Valley.

Additional storms continue to move north northeast into the warned 
area.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles. do not drive through flooded areas 
especially at night since it is difficult to determine flood depths.

Excessive runoff from this storm will cause flash flooding of small 
creeks and streams, country roads, farmland along creeks, and other 
low lying areas.

&&

LAT...LON 4044 10245 4060 10240 4069 10227 4075 10205
      4044 10205 4044 10209 4044 10218 4044 10222
      4044 10225 4044 10234 4044 10242

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

TH
1 follow-up statement
431 
WGUS75 KBOU 200257
FFSBOU

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Denver CO
857 PM MDT Thu Aug 19 2021

COC095-200445-
/O.CON.KBOU.FF.W.0078.000000T0000Z-210820T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Phillips CO-
857 PM MDT Thu Aug 19 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1045 PM MDT THIS 
EVENING FOR EASTERN PHILLIPS COUNTY...

At 857 PM MDT, the public reported heavy rain across the warned 
area. Between 4 and 8 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is 
already occurring.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
         flash flooding.

SOURCE...Public reported.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
         roads, and low lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Holyoke, Amherst and Pleasant Valley.

This includes the following streams and drainages...
  Sandy Creek, North Fork Frenchman Creek, Frenchman Creek, 
  Wildhorse Creek and Patent Creek.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

Excessive runoff from this storm will cause flash flooding of small 
creeks and streams, country roads, farmland along creeks, and other 
low lying areas.

&&

LAT...LON 4044 10245 4060 10240 4069 10227 4075 10205
      4044 10205 4044 10209 4044 10218 4044 10222
      4044 10225 4044 10234 4044 10242

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

$$

RPK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 19, 6:21 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOUPhillips24 min
Aug 19, 6:41 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatBOUPhillips49 min
Aug 19, 6:43 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOUPhillips2 hr
Aug 19, 10:38 PM MDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatBOUPhillips4 hr
Aug 20, 2:12 AM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOULarimer93 min
Aug 20, 2:15 AM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOULarimer2 hr
Aug 20, 2:58 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningBOUPhillips9 hr
Aug 20, 4:01 AM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBOUMorgan44 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Colorado, 2021Every flash flood warning in 2021

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.