Colorado, 1997

Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Colorado, June 1 to 2, 1997

June 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS BOU · 18 events in 4 counties and zones

9 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 1 flash flood, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
$500,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
18

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 national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 1 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Lincoln

When
June 1, 8:40 PM MST
Where
Lincoln County, 28 mi NW of Karval
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
39.020, -103.900

Flash Flood, Larimer

When
June 2, 2:30 PM MST to 10:00 PM MST
Where
Larimer County, Ft Collins
Property damage
$500,000
Coordinates
40.666, -105.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rain and large hail from thunderstorms moving across eastern Larimer, northern Weld and western Logan Counties caused extensive flooding and flash flooding problems throughout the afternoon and evening hours. Rainfall totals ranged anywhere from 2 to 5 inches. Flash Floods washed out several roads and highways. Highway 14, the main highway between Fort Collins and Sterling was extensively damaged. Five bridges were damaged by floodwaters and several sections of the highway were washed out. Lone Tree Creek, near Lucerne, jumped its banks and flooded several homes. Highway 14 was closed for at least a week to repair the damage. Damage to county roads and bridges throughout Weld County was estimated to be $500,000.

Hail, Weld

When
June 2, 2:35 PM MST
Where
Weld County, 8 mi NE of Nunn
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.780, -104.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Weld

When
June 2, 2:48 PM MST
Where
Weld County, 3 mi E of Nunn
Measured
54 kt (62 mph)
Coordinates
40.700, -104.720

Hail, Weld

When
June 2, 3:33 PM MST
Where
Weld County, Briggsdale
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
40.630, -104.320

Lightning, Larimer

When
June 2, 3:45 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
Where
Larimer County, Ft Collins
Coordinates
40.666, -105.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck two homes in Fort Collins. A computer was damaged in one home. No other damage reports were available.

Hail, Weld

When
June 2, 3:55 PM MST
Where
Weld County, Briggsdale
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
40.630, -104.320

Hail, Larimer

When
June 2, 4:06 PM MST
Where
Larimer County, 4 mi WSW of Ft Collins
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.570, -105.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Weld

When
June 2, 4:08 PM MST
Where
Weld County, 2 mi E of Masters
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
40.300, -104.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Weld

When
June 2, 4:27 PM MST
Where
Weld County, Cornish
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
40.520, -104.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Weld

When
June 2, 4:45 PM MST
Where
Weld County, 8 mi S of Briggsdale
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
40.520, -104.320

Tornado, Morgan

When
June 2, 5:35 PM MST to 5:45 PM MST
Where
Morgan County, Weldona to 1 mi SE of Weldona
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
40.350, -103.950

Hail, Morgan

When
June 2, 5:37 PM MST to 5:40 PM MST
Where
Morgan County, 1 mi NW of Weldona
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.370, -103.980

Hail, Morgan

When
June 2, 5:38 PM MST
Where
Morgan County, Weldona to 2 mi NW of Weldona
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.370, -104.000

Hail, Morgan

When
June 2, 5:40 PM MST
Where
Morgan County, 1 mi E of Weldona
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.350, -103.950

Hail, Morgan

When
June 2, 5:40 PM MST
Where
Morgan County, 1 mi W of Weldona
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.350, -103.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Morgan

When
June 2, 5:40 PM MST
Where
Morgan County, 1 mi E of Weldona
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
40.350, -103.950

Hail, Morgan

When
June 2, 5:43 PM MST
Where
Morgan County, 2 mi SE of Weldona
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.330, -103.950

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
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.
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.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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 historyThe tornado archive for Colorado, 1997Warnings in Colorado, June 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: 5607217, 5607218, 5607219, 5607220, 5607221, 5607222, 5607223, 5607224, 5607225, 5607226, 5607227, 5607228, 5607229, 5607230, 5607231, 5607232, 5607233, 5607234.