Colorado, 1996

Flash Flood in Colorado, July 9, 1996

July 9, 1996 · NWS PUB · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Severe storms brought flooding rain, damaging winds, and large hail the evening of the 9th. 5 inches of rain fell in a short period of time on the east side of Pueblo, causing widespread flooding of low spots and roof collapses of three businesses.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
5
Property damage
$2.0 million
Crop damage
$250,000
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.

Severe storms brought flooding rain, damaging winds, and large hail the evening of the 9th. From 2 to 4.5 inches of rain fell in a short period of time on the east side of Pueblo, causing widespread flooding of low spots and roof collapses of three businesses. Forty to 50 power poles were blown down, affecting 15,000 homes in east and north Pueblo. 1,000 telephone customers were also affected. Numerous large trees in residential areas and at the Pueblo Country Club were uprooted, and the rain washed out several gravel roads in Pueblo West north of US 50. In south Pueblo between 1000 to 2000 acres of crops were destroyed, and an electrical fire attributed to the storm razed a greenhouse. Many underpasses and roadways were under water, and the rapid rises of water carried a few vehicles away. At the underpass/intersection of 29th Street and I-25, 2 cars were submerged under 12 to 14 feet of water.

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:28 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Pueblo

When
July 9, 5:30 PM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where
Pueblo County, Pueblo
Injuries
5 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$2.0 million
Crop damage
$250,000
Coordinates
38.173, -104.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, July 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5556952.