Alert archive / Colorado / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 2026

December 15, 20216 counties in Colorado; 5 counties in New Mexico

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at Dec 15, 2021, 6:42 AM MST for 6 counties in Colorado; 5 counties in New Mexico. It was in force for 93 min.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Dec 15, 2021, 6:42 AM MST (13:42 UTC)
Expired
Dec 15, 2021, 8:15 AM MST
In force
93 min
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Severe potential...watch unlikely
Chance of a watch
5%

Counties Bent County, CO, Crowley County, CO, Huerfano County, CO, Las Animas County, CO, Otero County, CO, Pueblo County, CO, Colfax County, NM, Harding County, NM, Mora County, NM, San Miguel County, NM, Union County, NM

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 168 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:45 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM (KABQ), launched 12:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 286 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, Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM at 12:00Z on 2021-12-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM at 12:00Z on 2021-12-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 401 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-44 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1356 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
89 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
401 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
663 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

126 
ACUS11 KWNS 151343
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 151342 
COZ000-NMZ000-151515-

Mesoscale Discussion 2026
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0742 AM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

Areas affected...portions of northeast NM into southeast CO

Concerning...Severe potential...Watch unlikely 

Valid 151342Z - 151515Z

Probability of Watch Issuance...5 percent

SUMMARY...Shallow convection may continue to enhance wind gust
potential along the eastward-surging cold front for a couple more
hours this morning across southeast CO and northeast NM.

DISCUSSION...A band of convection, including shallow thunderstorms,
along a cold front is quickly shifting east into portions of
southeast CO/northeast NM this morning. Background low/mid level
flow is already strong with 40-50 kt winds within a few hundred feet
of the surface noted in regional RAOBs and VWP data. Convectively
enhanced severe gusts have been noted at several observation sites
across north-central NM the past hour or so. While instability is
scant, strong gusts accompanied by convection may continue for a
couple more hours before convection weakens as it encounters a more
hostile environment amid increasing inhibition and an EML around
850-700 mb across the High Plains of eastern CO/NM. A watch is not
currently expected.

..Leitman/Grams.. 12/15/2021

...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product...

ATTN...WFO...PUB...BOU...ABQ...

LAT...LON   36550308 36000362 35540431 35370529 35400550 35670569
            36180556 36990541 37730545 38180535 38460504 38630461
            38650356 38220313 37290296 36550308

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in Colorado, 2021Mesoscale Discussions in New Mexico, 2021Every mesoscale discussion 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.