Alert archive / Colorado / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 2, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2026, 5:22 PM MDT for Lincoln County, Washington County, Colorado. It was in force for 38 min. 8 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
- May 21, 2026, 5:22 PM MDT (23:22 UTC)
- Expired
- May 21, 2026, 6:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 38 min
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 2.5 in
Counties Lincoln County, CO, Washington County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 5:31 PM MDT | HAIL 1 | 5 Nw Thurman, CO | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| May 21, 5:34 PM MDT | HAIL 1.25 | 5 Nw Thurman, CO | Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
| May 21, 5:35 PM MDT | TORNADO | 3 Wnw Thurman, CO | Brief ground circulation. Report via NWSChat. |
| May 21, 5:41 PM MDT | TORNADO | 3 Wsw Thurman, CO | Tornado lasted 4 minutes. |
| May 21, 5:44 PM MDT | HAIL 2.75 | 1 S Thurman, CO | Report from mPING: Baseball (2.75 in.). |
| May 21, 5:44 PM MDT | HAIL 2.75 | 2 Wnw Thurman, CO | |
| May 21, 5:47 PM MDT | HAIL 3 | 1 S Thurman, CO | Report from mPING: Tea Cup (3.00 in.). |
| May 21, 5:47 PM MDT | TORNADO | 2 Wsw Thurman, CO | Brief Tornado lasted one minute. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2:55 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The text
As transmitted.
754
WFUS55 KBOU 212322
TORBOU
COC073-121-220000-
/O.NEW.KBOU.TO.W.0002.260521T2322Z-260522T0000Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Denver CO
522 PM MDT Thu May 21 2026
The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Northeastern Lincoln County in east central Colorado...
South Central Washington County in northeastern Colorado...
* Until 600 PM MDT.
* At 522 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles south of Lindon, or 30 miles northeast of
Limon, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and tennis ball size hail.
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...
Thurman, Anton and Lindon.
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 3957 10344 3975 10347 3976 10305 3957 10307
3957 10315 3952 10315 3952 10343
TIME...MOT...LOC 2322Z 270DEG 17KT 3962 10336
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.50 IN
$$
632 follow-up statements
588
WWUS55 KBOU 212337
SVSBOU
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Denver CO
537 PM MDT Thu May 21 2026
COC073-121-220000-
/O.CON.KBOU.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260522T0000Z/
Lincoln CO-Washington CO-
537 PM MDT Thu May 21 2026
...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT FOR NORTHEASTERN
LINCOLN AND SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTIES...
At 537 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Thurman, or 33 miles northeast of Limon, moving east
at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and tennis ball size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
Locations impacted include...
Thurman and Anton.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself
from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3959 10337 3975 10335 3976 10305 3957 10307
3957 10315 3952 10315 3952 10335
TIME...MOT...LOC 2322Z 270DEG 17KT 3962 10336
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.50 IN
$$
63959
WWUS55 KBOU 212346
SVSBOU
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Denver CO
546 PM MDT Thu May 21 2026
COC073-121-220000-
/O.CON.KBOU.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260522T0000Z/
Lincoln CO-Washington CO-
546 PM MDT Thu May 21 2026
...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT FOR NORTHEASTERN
LINCOLN AND SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTIES...
At 546 PM MDT, a confirmed tornado was located over Thurman, or 35
miles northeast of Limon, moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Damaging tornado and baseball size hail.
SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado.
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...
Thurman and Anton.
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 3959 10337 3975 10335 3976 10305 3957 10307
3957 10315 3952 10315 3952 10335
TIME...MOT...LOC 2337Z 269DEG 13KT 3962 10327
TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.75 IN
$$
63The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2:53 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | BOU | Arapahoe | 37 min |
| May 21, 3:30 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Arapahoe | 30 min |
| May 21, 3:57 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Logan | 33 min |
| May 21, 4:30 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Logan | 30 min |
| May 21, 4:33 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Adams, Arapahoe, Washington | 42 min |
| May 21, 4:52 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Lincoln, Washington | 38 min |
| May 21, 5:32 PM MDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOU | Logan | 43 min |
| May 21, 5:56 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Washington | 36 min |
| May 21, 5:59 PM MDT | Tornado Warning | BOU | Washington | 31 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Colorado, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.