Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, July 28, 2011

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, July 28, 2011
Start: 2011-07-28T15:53
End: 2011-07-28T20:55
Location: Colorado

July 28, 2011 · NWS GLD · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

A cluster of thunderstorms affected the Tri-State area during the afternoon and evening hours of July 28, 2011. These storms brought hail up to golf ball size, strong and damaging winds, and heavy rains which caused several reports of flash flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $3,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 GLD wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 28, 1:00 PM MST, 2 hours 53 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 28, 1:00 PM MST, 2 hours 53 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
200 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

.SHORT TERM... (TONIGHT - SUNDAY)
200 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY AT 19Z SHOWS CUMULUS DEVELOPING NEAR 700MB
TROUGH AXIS IN THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA AND ALONG A SURFACE
BOUNDARY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN FORECAST AREA. SHORTWAVE TROUGH ALSO
EVIDENT COMING OUT OF NORTHERN COLORADO ON WATER VAPOR. SO WITH
CONTINUED HEATING EXPECTED SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS
THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. SLOW STORM MOTIONS TO THE ENE WILL
PROMOTE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. SOUNDINGS A BIT MORE MOIST THAN
RECENTLY AND DCAPE NOT REALLY FAVORABLE FOR ANOTHER MICROBURST
EVENT. HOWEVER SBCAPE PUSHING 3000 J/KG AND HAIL HEIGHTS NOT AN
UNREACHABLE 30-35KFT...SO HAIL MAY BE MORE OF A THREAT TODAY.
OVERNIGHT...LIGHT EASTERLY SURFACE WINDS AND HIGH DEW POINTS MAY
LEAD TO SOME FOG DEVELOPMENT AFTER THE RAIN ENDS...WHICH RUC IS
HINTING MAY BE WIDESPREAD.

FRIDAY...AFTER ANY MORNING FOG BURNS OFF THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW
LONG DO THE CLOUDS LINGER. NAM IS MOST PESSIMISTIC OF THE GUIDANCE
AND CONSEQUENTLY THE COOLEST...WHILE RUC AND GFS SUGGEST SOME
AFTERNOON BREAKS. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE SOUTHEAST BY THE AFTERNOON
WHICH WOULD PROMOTE A SLOW CLEARING MORE IN THE RUC AND GFS CAMP SO
WILL SHADE TEMPERATURES TOWARD THE WARMER GUIDANCE. CANT RULE OUT AN
ISOLATED SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM IN THE AFTERNOON IF CLEARING DOES
INDEED OCCUR...BUT BETTER CHANCES WILL BE TO THE WEST WHERE IT WILL
CLEAR FASTER AND NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL COME OUT OF THE
MOUNTAINS. SOME OF THOSE MAY SURVIVE THE TREK ACROSS THE PLAINS AND
MAKE IT HERE FRIDAY NIGHT. CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR EITHER SCENARIO AND
WILL CARRY ONLY 20 POPS.

RISING HEIGHTS ARE FORECAST FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AS RIDGE
REBUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. AS A RESULT TEMPERATURES WILL
BE APPROACHING TRIPLE DIGITS ONCE AGAIN. ORIENTATION OF THE RIDGE
FAVORS THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING NEAR THE FRONT RANGE WITH ONLY A
SLIGHT CHANCE OF THEM MAKING IT TO FAR EASTERN COLORADO IN THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.

.LONG TERM... (MONDAY - THURSDAY)
200 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

UPPER RIDGE WILL REMAIN PARKED OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS THIS PERIOD.
SHORTWAVE TROUGHS RIDING THE RIDGE WILL MOVE OUT OF COLORADO AND
ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. LOCAL FORECAST AREA WILL BE CLOSE ENOUGH
TO THAT STORM TRACK FOR DAILY CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
TOWARDS THE END OF THE PERIOD THE RIDGE IS FORECAST TO UNDERGO A
SUBTLE WEAKENING AND SHIFT A BIT FURTHER SOUTHEAST. SURFACE WIND
FORECASTS SHOW AN EASTERLY COMPONENT BY WEDNESDAY AND ESPECIALLY
THURSDAY. 850MB TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES ALSO DROP FROM +1 TO +2
STANDARD DEVIATIONS EARLY IN THE PERIOD TO NEAR NORMAL BY THE END OF
THE PERIOD. AS A RESULT...WILL TREND TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY DOWNWARD
FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...AT LEAST BACK TO NEAR NORMAL.

024
&&

.AVIATION...
1140 AM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

FOR THE 18Z TAFS AT KGLD AND KMCK...VFR EXPECTED AT BOTH TERMINALS
OVERALL. LOCATIONS OF THUNDERSTORM INITIATION THIS AFTERNOON ARE
STILL UNCERTAIN GIVEN WEAK SURFACE WIND FIELD. HAVE INCLUDED A
THUNDERSTORM IN VICINITY OF BOTH TERMINALS AFTER 21Z WITH POTENTIAL
CONTINUING UNTIL AROUND 04-05Z. KEPT STORMS OUT OF THE TERMINALS
THEMSELVES FOR NOW GIVEN UNCERTAIN COVERAGE AND LOCATIONS...BUT SHOULD ONE
MOVE OVER A TERMINAL...MVFR/IFR VIS IS POSSIBLE.

&&

.GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KS...NONE.
NE...NONE.
CO...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 28, 9:48 AM MST, 6 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1048 AM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-291215-
YUMA-KIT CARSON-CHEYENNE CO-CHEYENNE KS-RAWLINS-DECATUR-NORTON-
SHERMAN-THOMAS-SHERIDAN-GRAHAM-WALLACE-LOGAN-GOVE-GREELEY-WICHITA-
DUNDY-HITCHCOCK-RED WILLOW-
1048 AM MDT THU JUL 28 2011 /1148 AM CDT THU JUL 28 2011/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA...NORTHWEST KANSAS AND EAST CENTRAL COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND INCREASE
IN COVERAGE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. STORMS WHICH DEVELOP THIS
AFTERNOON WILL INITIALLY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE STRONG
WINDS AND MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL BEFORE THE THREAT BECOMES LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL DURING THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS RETURN TO THE AREA
MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WIDESPREAD SEVERE
WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 28, 2:19 PM MST, 1 hour 34 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
319 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

COZ091-092-282145-
CHEYENNE COUNTY-KIT CARSON COUNTY-
319 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHEYENNE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO AND KIT
CARSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO...

AT 316 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 14 MILES NORTH OF CHEYENNE WELLS...MOVING EAST AT
5 MPH.

PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE.

&&

LAT...LON 3909 10220 3887 10225 3896 10254 3911 10251
TIME...MOT...LOC 2119Z 280DEG 5KT 3901 10242

FOLTZ

Local storm report, Jul 28, 2:37 PM MST, 1 hour 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
337 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0335 PM     HAIL             BIRD CITY               39.75N 101.53W
07/28/2011  M1.25 INCH       CHEYENNE           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HALF-DOLLAR SIZE HAIL ONGOING AT THE BIRD CITY AIRPORT.

&&

FOLTZ

Local storm report, Jul 28, 2:43 PM MST, 1 hour 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
343 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0340 PM     HAIL             BIRD CITY               39.75N 101.53W
07/28/2011  M1.25 INCH       CHEYENNE           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ESTIMATED 60 MPH WINDS.

&&

PMURRAY

Local storm report, Jul 28, 2:51 PM MST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
351 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0335 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 W BIRD CITY           39.76N 101.59W
07/28/2011  M56 MPH          CHEYENNE           KS   MESONET

&&

FOLTZ

Special weather statement, Jul 28, 3:16 PM MST, 37 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
416 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

COZ091-092-282300-
CHEYENNE COUNTY-KIT CARSON COUNTY-
416 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHEYENNE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO AND KIT
CARSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO...

AT 411 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTH OF
BURLINGTON TO 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BETHUNE TO 12 MILES SOUTH OF
STRATTON TO 10 MILES NORTH OF FIRSTVIEW...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN...PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50
MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE.

&&

LAT...LON 3925 10249 3948 10236 3947 10204 3895 10205
      3879 10226 3884 10256 3919 10267
TIME...MOT...LOC 2216Z 269DEG 6KT 3939 10231 3922 10235
          3914 10254 3895 10247

FOLTZ

Local storm report, Jul 28, 3:35 PM MST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
435 PM MDT THU JUL 28 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0423 PM     TSTM WND DMG     10 S BIRD CITY          39.61N 101.53W
07/28/2011                   CHEYENNE           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ROUND-TOP CALF SHED BLOWN OVER. CALVES APPEAR UNINJURED.
            PEA TO DIME SIZED HAIL ALSO.

&&

PMURRAY

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:53 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Yuma

When: July 28, 3:53 PM MST
Where: Yuma County, 8.45 mi NNW of Alvin
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 40.420, -102.150

Hail, Yuma

When: July 28, 4:41 PM MST
Where: Yuma County, 5.08 mi NW of Joes
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.700, -102.750

Trained spotter also reported that hail covered the ground.

Hail, Cheyenne

When: July 28, 5:09 PM MST
Where: Cheyenne County, Wild Horse
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.820, -103.000

Trained spotter also reported estimated peak wind gust of 50 mph.

Hail, Cheyenne

When: July 28, 5:34 PM MST
Where: Cheyenne County, 1.28 mi WSW of Kit Carson
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.760, -102.800

Trained spotter reported visibility was also down to 50-100 feet.

Hail, Yuma

When: July 28, 5:45 PM MST to 5:50 PM MST
Where: Yuma County, 4.02 mi NNW of Joes
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 39.704, -102.708

CoCoRaHS observer also reports a hail duration of 5 minutes and a hail depth of 1 inch.

Flash Flood, Cheyenne

When: July 28, 5:55 PM MST to 8:55 PM MST
Where: Cheyenne County, 1.29 mi SE of Wild Horse to 2.01 mi N of Wild Horse
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.809, -102.980

Cheyenne county dispatch reports that County Road 8 is washed out both north and south of Wild Horse. Another report included water over the intersection of Road 8 and Highway 287. In addition, a co-op observer north of Wild Horse reported 2.64 inches of rain as of 709 pm MDT.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

Every storm in Colorado in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, July 2011

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: 330534, 330518, 330519, 330520, 330540, 330521.