An area of heavy rain moved from northeast Fremont County to western El Paso County, causing flash flooding. Flooded county roads were on either side of State Highway 115.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
An area of heavy rain moved from northeast Fremont County to western El Paso County, causing flash flooding. Flooded county roads were on either side of State Highway 115. The heavy rain moved across western Colorado Springs and flooded streets and US Highway 24.
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 Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 12, 2:42 AM MST, 5 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 342 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 340 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013 ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT TODAY WILL BE ANOTHER BUSY DAY WITH POTENTIAL HEAVY RAIN AND THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING. LARGE UPR LOW WL REMAIN OVR EASTERN UT THRU TODAY AND TONIGHT...SLOWLY SHIFTING NORTHWARD. THIS WILL ALLOW THE STREAM OF MOISTURE TO CONTINUE OVR EASTERN CO THRU THE DAY. LITTLE CHANGES WL BE MADE O THE ONGOING FORECAST AND WL GENERALLY HAVE LIKELY POPS OVR MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. SHORTWAVE TROF LIFTING NORTH TO NORTHEAST ACRS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WL ALSO HELP TO INITIATE CONVECTION. ALTHOUGH MOST AREAS WL SEE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PCPN THIS MORNING...BY AFTERNOON THE ACTIVITY WL INCREASE AND THE MODELS KEEP WIDESPREAD PCPN FROM THE EASTERN MTS TO THE ERN CO BORDER THRU MUCH OF THE NIGHT AS ANOTHER DISTURBANCE LIFTS NORTHWARD ACRS THE AREA. LOOKING AT MODEL FORECAST PCPN AMOUNTS...THE WALDO CANYON BURN SCAR GETS ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY PCPN LATE IN THE EVENING AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS FRI. CURRENTLY THERE IS A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOR TELLER AND EL PASO COUNTIES AND THIS TIME-FRAME STILL LOOKS OK. AS FOR WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA...THERE WILL BE GOOD CHANCES FOR PCPN TODAY AND THIS EVENING BUT PROBABLY NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS ERN AREAS. THERE WL STILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN OVR WRN AREAS THAT COULD BE A THREAT TO BURN SCARS. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 340 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013 WILL KEEP LONG TERM DISCUSSION CONCISE DUE TO ONGOING ACTIVE CONDITIONS. PRIMARY LONGER TERM METEOROLOGICAL MESSAGE WILL BE CONTINUED WET CONDITIONS AT TIMES INTO THE WEEKEND WITH NEXT NORTHERLY SURGE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE AN UPSWING IN POP ACTIVITY AGAIN FROM SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AS WELL AS FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY OVER AREA BURN SCARS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN OVER THE CWFA INTO THE WEEKEND. A RETURN TO WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS SHOULD THEN BE NOTED OVER THE FORECAST DISTRICT BY NEXT WEEK IN COMBINATION WITH GENERALLY LOW-GRADE GRADIENT WINDS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 340 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013 GOOD CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND TSTMS TODAY AT KCOS...KPUB AND KALS. STRATUS WL CONTINUE THRU AT LEAST MID MORNING AT KCOS AND COULD SEE SOME LOW CLOUDS AT KPUB THIS MORNING. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR COZ081-084-085. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 636 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013 COZ058>089-093>099-131245- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 636 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS...AND ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE AND COULD LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING CONCERNS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY OVER EASTERN TELLER AND WESTERN EL PASO COUNTIES WHERE THE GROUND IS SATURATED AS A RESULT OF HEAVY RAIN THAT OCCURRED LATE LAST NIGHT AND EARLY THIS MORNING. OTHER STORM THREATS TODAY WILL INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WIDESPREAD SHOWER ACTIVITY IN COMBINATION WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THIS WEEKEND. A NORTHERLY SURGE MOVING ACROSS THE REGION SUNDAY IS PROJECTED TO BRING A RENEWED THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND POTENTIAL FLOODING...ESPECIALLY OVER ARE BURN SCARS...FROM SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. THE PRIMARY THUNDERSTORM THREATS WILL BE HAZARDOUS LIGHTNING AND HAIL GENERALLY UNDER 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER. BY NEXT WEEK...DRIER AND WARMER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN TO SOUTHERN COLORADO. IN ADDITION...ACCUMULATING SNOW IS ANTICIPATED FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 12000 FEET THROUGH THIS WEEKEND WITH ELEVATIONS ABOVE 13000 FEET POTENTIALLY EXPERIENCING MODERATE SNOW AT TIMES. OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS AS WELL AS CLIMBERS AND HIKERS SHOULD EXPECT WINTER CONDITIONS ABOVE TREELINE INTO THIS WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
335 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0332 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 WNW COLORADO SPRINGS 38.85N 104.85W
09/12/2013 M3.43 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
SINCE 11 PM
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
532 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0332 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 WNW COLORADO SPRINGS 38.85N 104.85W
09/12/2013 M3.43 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
SINCE 11 PM
0952 PM DEBRIS FLOW 3 NW MANITOU SPRINGS 38.89N 104.95W
09/11/2013 EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
CDOT REPORTED CULVERTS OVERFLOWING AT THE MOUTH OF WALDO
CANYON. SOME ROCK AND DEBRIS FLOWING ONTO HIGHWAY 24 FROM
WALDO CANYON.
0600 PM HEAVY RAIN WESTCLIFFE 38.13N 105.46W
09/11/2013 E1.00 INCH CUSTER CO PUBLIC
ONE HOUR AMOUNT
&&
PJCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
726 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0720 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 WSW COLORADO SPRINGS 38.82N 104.86W
09/12/2013 M4.65 INCH EL PASO CO NWS EMPLOYEE
24 HOUR AMOUNT...MOST OF IT FELL AFTER 6 PM.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
833 AM MDT THU SEP 12 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 NW COLORADO SPRINGS 38.88N 104.87W
09/12/2013 M2.21 INCH EL PASO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
TOTAL SINCE MIDNIGHT.
&&
PJCThe Pueblo radar (KPUX), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:53 UTC.
3 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain northwest of Penrose caused the Arkansas River at the Portland gage to go above flood stage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, September 2013
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: 478045, 473132, 473135, 473138.