Colorado, 1997

Flash Flooding and Flooding in Colorado, August 4 to 5, 1997

August 4 to 5, 1997 · NWS BOU · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

2 flood, 2 flash flood, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flood, 2 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Jefferson

When
August 4, 3:00 PM MST
Where
Jefferson County, Arvada
Coordinates
39.586, -105.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning sparked a small fire to a home causing minor damage.

Flood, Jefferson

When
August 4, 3:00 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Jefferson County, Arvada
Coordinates
39.586, -105.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several intersections were flooded as heavy rain producing thunderstorms struck the area. Several cars were damaged by the highwaters and a number of businesses were also flooded.

Flood, Adams

When
August 4, 3:00 PM MST
Where
Adams County, Westminster
Coordinates
39.874, -104.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Larimer

When
August 4, 6:30 PM MST to 9:30 PM MST
Where
Larimer County, Ft Collins
Coordinates
40.666, -105.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Minor flooding problems were reported in the Fort Collins area as thunderstorms dumped an additional 4 inches of rainfall on the already saturated soils during the evening. Additional street damaged was reported and more property flooded by the heavy rainfall.

Flash Flood, Morgan

When
August 4, 10:00 PM MST to August 5, 2:00 AM MST
Where
Morgan County, Hillrose
Coordinates
40.263, -103.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rain, in excess of 4 inches, caused extensive flooding problems in the Hillrose area. Floodwaters covered portions of Highway 6, east of Hillrose. In addition, several basements in the town were flooded.

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, August 1997

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: 5614040, 5614041, 5614044, 5614042, 5614043.