Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

June 22, 2026Washington County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at Jun 22, 2026, 7:00 PM MDT for Washington County, Colorado. It was in force for 19 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: Jun 22, 2026, 7:00 PM MDT (01:00 UTC)
Expired: Jun 22, 2026, 7:19 PM MDT
In force: 19 min
Issued by: NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.0 in

County Washington County, CO

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:01 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
Jun 22, 7:19 PM MDT	HAIL 3.5	6 N Cope, CO

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

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jun 22, 1:30 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 245 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: 652 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1562 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 131 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

053 
WFUS55 KBOU 230100
TORBOU
COC121-230130-
/O.NEW.KBOU.TO.W.0019.260623T0100Z-260623T0130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Denver CO
700 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Washington County in northeastern Colorado...

* Until 730 PM MDT.

* At 700 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 12 miles north of Cope, or 28 miles southeast of Akron,
  moving southeast at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  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...
  Cope.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself
from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3978 10300 3994 10292 3995 10280 3967 10280
      3967 10292
TIME...MOT...LOC 0100Z 298DEG 26KT 3984 10289

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

Meier

1 follow-up statement

608 
WWUS55 KBOU 230119
SVSBOU

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Denver CO
719 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

COC121-230129-
/O.CAN.KBOU.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-260623T0130Z/
Washington CO-
719 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

...TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY...

The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM MDT Monday
for a portion of northeast Colorado.

&&

LAT...LON 3978 10300 3994 10292 3995 10280 3967 10280
      3967 10292
TIME...MOT...LOC 0100Z 298DEG 26KT 3983 10288

$$

Meier

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jun 22, 5:59 PM MDT, 1 hour 1 minute earlier. Its key messages:

Strong to severe storms expected for the plains this afternoon, producing large/very large hail, gusty winds, and possibly a weak landspout.
Additional rounds of severe storms expected Tue-Wed, with increasing potential for impacts to I-25 corridor and localized flash flooding. Temperatures to remain slightly below normal.
Elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions in the mountains most afternoons, increasing in severity this weekend under building heat and strengthening winds.
Drier and considerably hotter for the lower elevations starting Friday.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 22, 5:59 PM MDT, 1 hour 1 minute before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
559 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Strong to severe storms expected for the plains this afternoon,
  producing large/very large hail, gusty winds, and possibly a
  weak landspout.

- Additional rounds of severe storms expected Tue-Wed, with
  increasing potential for impacts to I-25 corridor and localized
  flash flooding. Temperatures to remain slightly below normal.

- Elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions in the
  mountains most afternoons, increasing in severity this weekend
  under building heat and strengthening winds.

- Drier and considerably hotter for the lower elevations starting
  Friday.

&&

.DISCUSSION /Through Monday/...
Issued at 230 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

Current observations show thunderstorms starting to develop over the
east Colorado plains. The Denver Convergence-Vorticity zone (DCVZ)
is currently situated just east of the Denver metro, which is
providing an area of enhanced surface vorticity. Bulk shear values
over eastern Colorado are in currently in the 40-50KT range,
although the better 0-3 km storm relative helicity (SRH) values are
located over our northeastern CWA counties. Nevertheless, the
aforementioned parameters, combined with precipitable water (PW)
values around 0.70"-1.00", and steep lapse rates (~8 C/km), will
support the development of supercells able to produce large hail,
gusty winds, and weak landspouts. Localized flash flooding will also
be a concern with any slow-moving storms this afternoon, as well
as over the next few days, especially over areas with leftover
soil moisture from the previous day's storms. While the primary
thunderstorm threat will likely be out of the area by 7pm,
additional elevated thunderstorms cannot be ruled out later in the
evening, as we have seen occur over the last few evenings where
outflows from farther east have triggered convective initiation.

A cold frontal passage is expected to bring northerly flow into the
region Tuesday morning, as well as the potential for some patchy low
clouds. Severe thunderstorms will be possible again tomorrow.
However, the initial convective environment will face a few more
challenges earlier in the day, given the slightly drier surface
dewpoints behind the front, and northerly winds, as opposed to the
moister southeasterly flow that is in place today. However, the
shear profile tomorrow looks to be more favorable for rotating
updrafts, with high-res model soundings showing curved hodographs,
and a few isolated but longer-lived supercells. All hazards will be
possible with any storms that develop tomorrow afternoon and
evening, although the primary concern is very large hail (>
2.00").

Wednesday and Thursday will bring more rounds of severe weather
potential (mainly hail), driven by zonal flow aloft and low-level
moisture advection from the southern U.S. plains. The PW content in
place over the Denver area through most of this week is at the
90th percentile of climatology for late July, which is when the
annual peak of PW values occurs. However, the high terrain to the
west is a different story, given that this surge in moisture will
be confined to the low elevations of eastern Colorado and the
foothills. As such, elevated to locally critical fire weather
conditions will persist over the mountains and high valleys where
relative humidities will drop into the teens and single digits
each afternoon, with winds gusting to 20-35 mph.

Widespread critical fire weather conditions are still on track to
arrive on Saturday as an approaching upper level trough pushes
the moist airmass in place eastwards while also causing winds to
increase due to the tightening pressure gradient.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday/...
Issued at 555 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

The DCVZ has been located east of KDEN for much of the afternoon
sparking off showers and thunderstorms mainly to the east of KDEN
and KAPA. TSRA development and strong gusty outflow winds remain
possible at KAPA and KDEN until at least 02z this evening so have
extended the prob30.

Wildfire smoke is possible overnight, potentially impacting
slantwise visibility at times, but currently looks to have minimal
near surface impacts. Winds should stay elevated this evening
with gusts as high as 25 kts given the continued outflow enhanced
winds especially at KDEN and KAPA. A front will push through from
north to south for all three terminals between 13z and 15z
tomorrow morning with gusty winds from the north. This will also
bring in low stratocu clouds as noted in Bufkit soundings and
relative humidity cross sections. There is an increasing chance of
IFR conditions or worse between about 13z and 17z on Tuesday
morning.

By tomorrow afternoon, winds should settle into a more NE
direction. Showers and thunderstorms are possible especially at
KDEN tomorrow afternoon with the threat for gusty outflow winds
once again, but there is low confidence in exact placement and
timing of thunderstorms at this time.

&&

.BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning from noon to 8 PM MDT Tuesday for COZ212-213-
217.

&&

DISCUSSION...AA
AVIATION...MV

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 22, 6:34 PM MDT, 26 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Denver CO
634 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0610 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 WNW Akron             40.17N 103.23W
06/22/2026  M92 MPH          Washington         CO   Mesonet

&&

KEB

Local storm report, Jun 22, 6:35 PM MDT, 25 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Denver CO
635 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0603 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 SE Akron              40.13N 103.15W
06/22/2026  M80 MPH          Washington         CO   Mesonet

&&

KEB

Local storm report, Jun 22, 6:36 PM MDT, 24 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Denver CO
636 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0612 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 NNW Akron             40.18N 103.22W
06/22/2026  M109 MPH         Washington         CO   ASOS

&&

KEB

Local storm report, Jun 22, 6:38 PM MDT, 22 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Denver CO
638 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0630 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 WSW Akron             40.16N 103.22W
06/22/2026                   Washington         CO   Storm Chaser

            Power lines down along US34 from Akron to
            Otis.

&&

KEB

Local storm report, Jun 22, 6:43 PM MDT, 17 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Denver CO
643 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0630 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Akron                   40.16N 103.21W
06/22/2026                   Washington         CO   Storm Chaser

            Tree limbs down and street flooding.

&&

KEB

Local storm report, Jun 22, 6:49 PM MDT, 11 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Denver CO
649 PM MDT Mon Jun 22 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0618 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 SE Akron              40.13N 103.15W
06/22/2026  M95 MPH          Washington         CO   Mesonet

&&

KEB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 22, 6:26 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BOU	Washington	49 min
Jun 22, 6:45 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BOU	Washington	45 min
Jun 22, 7:22 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BOU	Washington	38 min
Jun 23, 12:12 AM MDT	Fire Weather Watch	BOU	Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand, Park, Summit	26 hr
Jun 23, 12:05 PM MDT	Red Flag Warning	BOU	Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Larimer and 2 more	30 hr
Jun 23, 5:19 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Elbert	41 min
Jun 23, 5:24 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOU	Elbert, Lincoln	51 min
Jun 23, 5:33 PM MDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BOU	Arapahoe, Washington	42 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 2026 Every tornado warning in 2026 Tornadoes in 2026

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.