Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, July 23 to 27, 1997

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, July 23 to 27, 1997
Start: 1997-07-23T16:30
End: 1997-07-27T16:30
Location: Colorado

July 23 to 27, 1997 · NWS BOU · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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: 1
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When: July 23, 4:30 PM MST
Where: Adams County, 7 mi W of Brighton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 39.980, -104.950

Damaging thunderstorm winds associated with a wet microburst ripped the roof off a barn, causing the east side of the structure to collapse. The roof of a nearby utility shed was also ripped off and blown 60 feet away.

Flash Flood, Elbert

When: July 27, 3:15 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where: Elbert County, Kiowa
Coordinates: 39.287, -104.136 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Elbert

When: July 27, 4:00 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where: Elbert County, 13 mi NE of Matheson
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 39.300, -103.820

Hail, Lincoln

When: July 27, 4:16 PM MST
Where: Lincoln County, 9 mi ENE of Limon
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 39.320, -103.550

Intense thunderstorm winds, heavy rain and golfball size hail hammered portions of eastern Elbert and northern Lincoln Counties. Microburst winds blew a semi-truck on its side and several cars were pushed to the side of the road. A 9-hr old boy was injured when he was picked up and blown into a ditch. Several utility poles were snapped and power lines downed along I-70 near Highway 86 causing scattered outages. Big Sandy Run jumped its banks and covered a portion of the interstate with 4 feet of water as up to 4 inches of rain reportedly fell in the area. As a result, I-70 was closed until the water receded and the damage was cleared. Windows were reportedly blown out or broken by strong winds and golfball size hail in Limon and the vicinity.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, July 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: 5607269, 5607270, 5607271, 5607272.