A brief EF0 tornado spun up 4 miles north northeast of Pueblo during the afternoon of July 12th. The report of the tornado came from a NWS employee and is backed up by video evidence provided by a Pueblo West Resident whom sent the video to a local broadcast meteorologist.
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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.
A brief EF0 tornado spun up 4 miles north northeast of Pueblo during the afternoon of July 12th. The report of the tornado came from a NWS employee and is backed up by video evidence provided by a Pueblo West Resident whom sent the video to a local broadcast meteorologist. The tornado was short lived and did not cause any damage.
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 Jul 12, 10:17 AM MST, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1117 AM MDT Thu Jul 12 2018 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 443 AM MDT Thu Jul 12 2018 ...Increasing Showers and Storms Today... Monsoon moisture is working into the region. The upper level tropical wave that migrated into southern Colorado yesterday has helped to pull some of the moisture eastward into the area. Once heating gets underway today, this will help to produce more widespread showers and storms than we've been seeing. Precipitable water (PW) values have been slowing creeping up through the night. Latest satellite estimates put PWs at 130 to 160 percent of average over far southern and western parts of the forecast area and generally at 110 to 130 percent of average elsewhere. A check of Pueblo's forecast sounding from the NAM12 has the precipitable water value climbing to near 1.30 inches this evening. Lower and mid level tropospheric steering winds this afternoon will be pretty light and generally from the northwest, west or southwest. Steering speeds will only be about 5-10 knots. Predicting a storm motion will probably be challenging at times due to the light steering flow and the resulting tendency for storms to meander or propagate along outflow boundaries. With the high water content of the atmosphere and the light steering flow, the potential for locally heavy rain will be high today. Unfortunately, heavy rain on a burn scar is definitely cause for concern. The new burn scars across southern Colorado will be at increased risk for flash flooding today. This particularly applies to the newest scars in the area, like the Spring and Chateau scars, but also the older ones, like the Junkins and Hayden Pass scars. If one of these scars takes a direct hit, dangerous flash flooding could occur. The Spring Fire scar is of particular concern due to the size of the scar and the amount of steep terrain it encompasses. The Chateau scar will be at risk, too, but due to it's smaller size and collection area, it is probably less likely to take a direct hit. The Flash Flood Watch will continue for the southern mountains, including the Spring Fire scar today. Flash flooding will also be possible on the Chateau scar but due to the lower threat, no Flash Flood Watch will be issued for that area at this time. Heavy rain showers could fall elsewhere across southern Colorado today. While this could result in local flooding of streets and low lying areas, it is generally not expected to result in more serious flash flooding. .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 443 AM MDT Thu Jul 12 2018 Friday and Friday Night... Diurnal mountain thunderstorms fueled by monsoonal moisture will develop during the early afternoon hours and last through the overnight hours. The main concern will be flash flooding over the burn scars. In particular, the Spring, Hayden, and Junkins fire are at highest risk for a flash flood since the main moisture plume will be directed up the slopes of the southern Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountains. An upper level ridge is parked just west of the four corners region, which will enable a shortwave trough and it's associated cold front to propagate over southeastern Colorado Friday night and Saturday morning. The passing shortwave will initiate nocturnal showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will remain similar to what the region has been experiencing, 90s over the plains, 80s over the San Luis Valley, 70s in Lake County, and 40s to 60s over near the mountain peaks. With the added moisture in the air, low temperatures will be higher, which is common during the monsoon season. Saturday through Wednesday... On Saturday, the thunderstorms will remain primarily confined over the mountains, with flash flood risks continuing over the burn scars. There won't be a shortwave propagating over the region, which will keep the thunderstorms isolated, at best, over the plains. After Saturday, there is uncertainty of what is to occur, and unfortunately, the uncertainty is quite high. The european model places the ridge further east than the GFS, which results in less precipitation over the plains since the shortwaves eject further north and east. Whereas the GFS has the ridge located further west, which will enable the shortwave to impact southern Colorado, bringing more widespread thunderstorms over the plains. Model discussions via the WPC indicate that the European model is more reliable, but low PoPs have been included to include the uncertainties. That being said, what is certain is daily afternoon thunderstorms over the mountains. The elevated moisture, due to the monsoonal flow, make mountain thunderstorms easy to achieve, either by synoptic scale forcings or thermally induced diurnal flows up the mountains. Daily thunderstorms introduce daily flash flood threats over the burn scars as well. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) Issued at 1114 AM MDT Thu Jul 12 2018 Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop by early afternoon. All three terminals may see reduced CIGS and VIS due to thunderstorms passing over the region. In addition, strong, erratic winds will accompany thunderstorms with wind gusts to near 40 mph possible. Expect thunderstorm activity to dissipate this evening and shift southeast of the terminals overnight. Another round of showers and thunderstorms will be possible for Friday afternoon across the region. Mozley && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch until 9 PM MDT this evening for COZ072>075-079- 080-087. && SHORT TERM...LW LONG TERM...SKELLY AVIATION...MOZLEY
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1120 AM MDT Thu Jul 12 2018 COZ058>089-093>099-131730- Western Mosquito Range/East Lake County Above 11000 Feet- Leadville Vicinity/Lake County Below 11000 Feet- Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Western Chaffee County Between 9000 and 11000 Feet- Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Feet- Western Mosquito Range/East Chaffee County Above 9000 Feet- Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Upper Rio Grande Valley/Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Feet-Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Del Norte Vicinity/Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Alamosa Vicinity/Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Southern San Luis Valley- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 And 11000 Feet- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 and 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Northwestern Fremont County Above 8500 Feet- Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountains between 6300 and 10000 Feet- Wet Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Teller County/Rampart Range Above 7500 Feet/Pikes Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Feet-Pikes Peak Above 11000 Feet- Canon City Vicinity/Eastern Fremont County- Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge/Rampart Range Below 7500 Feet- Colorado Springs Vicinity/Southern El Paso County/Rampart Range Below 7400 Feet-Pueblo Vicinity/Pueblo County Below 6300 Feet- Walsenburg Vicinity/Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Feet- Trinidad Vicinity/Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Feet- 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- 1120 AM MDT Thu Jul 12 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Increasing monsoon flow will result in more widespread thunderstorms this afternoon and a better chance for locally heavy rainfall. This will increase the risk of flash flooding on area burn scars including the newer Spring and Chateau scars as well as the older Junkins and Hayden Pass scars. Additional storm hazards will include lightning and wind gusts up to around 40 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Monsoon moisture continues potential for heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across southern Colorado. Flash flooding risks are possible over the Spring, Chateau, Junkins, and Hayden Pass burn scars. Thunderstorms are not expected to meet severe criteria, but stronger storms could produce lightning and gusts up to 40 mph. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be possible this afternoon and evening in and near area burn scars. 88/88
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1208 PM MDT THU JUL 12 2018 COZ081-082-084-085-121900- Colorado Springs Vicinity/Southern El Paso County/Rampart Range Below 7400 Ft CO-Pikes Peak above 11000 Ft CO- Teller County/Rampart Range above 7500fT/Pike's Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Ft CO- Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge/Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft CO- 1208 PM MDT THU JUL 12 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN TELLER AND NORTHWESTERN EL PASO COUNTIES UNTIL 100 PM MDT... At 1208 PM MDT, trained weather spotters reported a strong thunderstorm near Palmer Lake, or 20 miles northwest of Colorado Springs, moving south at 25 mph. Dime size hail will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Colorado Springs, Woodland Park, Monument, Air Force Academy, Manitou Springs, Palmer Lake, Green Mountain Falls, Pikes Peak, Crystola, Divide, Chipita Park, Cascade and Cimarron Hills. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 3881 10470 3881 10516 3913 10514 3913 10490 TIME...MOT...LOC 1808Z 340DEG 20KT 3909 10502 kam
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
101 PM MDT THU JUL 12 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1255 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 W PETERSON AFB 38.83N 104.75W
07/12/2018 M1.60 INCH EL PASO CO AMATEUR RADIO
10 MINUTE RAINFALL DURATION.
&&
RMGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
117 PM MDT THU JUL 12 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0114 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 W PETERSON AFB 38.83N 104.75W
07/12/2018 M2.16 INCH EL PASO CO AMATEUR RADIO
STORM TOTAL RAINFALL. 30 MINUTE DURATION.
&&
RMGSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Pueblo CO 144 PM MDT THU JUL 12 2018 COZ074-088-122015- Southern Sangre De Cristo Mountains Between 7500 and 11000 Ft CO- Trinidad Vicinity/Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Ft CO- 144 PM MDT THU JUL 12 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL LAS ANIMAS COUNTY UNTIL 215 PM MDT... At 143 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Raton Pass, or 11 miles southwest of Trinidad, moving southeast at 10 mph. Dime size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Raton Pass. LAT...LON 3713 10463 3707 10435 3699 10440 3700 10471 TIME...MOT...LOC 1943Z 296DEG 7KT 3702 10460 PGW
The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 48 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:17 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
An NWS employee initially reported the land spout tornado. Later in the evening a local broadcast meteorologist provided video evidence that was given to her from a Pueblo West resident.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Colorado, 2018Warnings in Colorado, July 2018
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: 772858.