Colorado, 2023

Hail and Damaging Winds in Colorado, August 5, 2023

August 5, 2023 · NWS GLD · 7 events in 1 county or zone

A couple thunderstorms moved east through Yuma County during the afternoon. Hail up to golf ball size and wind gusts up to 64 MPH were reported with these storms.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

A couple thunderstorms moved east through Yuma County during the afternoon. Hail up to golf ball size and wind gusts up to 64 MPH were reported with these storms.

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 Aug 5, 2:39 PM MST, 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 5, 2:39 PM MST, 52 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Goodland KS
339 PM MDT Sat Aug 5 2023

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday)
Issued at 310 PM MDT Sat Aug 5 2023

Active weather is expected during the late afternoon through
midnight tonight. As of 2 PM MDT, storms were developing along a
convergence zone over the Palmer Divide moving east to east-
southeast. The linear cluster of storms is expected to move into the
Flagler area around 3 PM MDT and into Cheyenne County, Colorado
between 4-5 PM MDT. The HRRR and NAMNest have been the more
aggressive/representative CAMs so far today. They are both depicting
the linear clusters/MCS to move east-southeast across the Tri-State
Area this evening Initially all modes of severe weather will be
possible, mainly along and west of the Colorado border. Tornadoes
have been observed over the Palmer Divide and will remain a possible
hazard for our Colorado counties at least through sunset though
confidence is medium at best. As the evening progresses and the MCS
really takes shape over Northwest Kansas, the main threats will be
large to giant hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain with potential
for flash flooding.

Despite the earlier convection this morning, the atmosphere is very
favorable for severe storms with 1,000-3,000 J/kg of CAPE, 1,000-
1500 J/kg of DCAPE, and high PWs. The cold front will be nudging
south over the Tri-State are tonight helping the storms as they move
through. There is also potential for localized blowing dust in areas
that have not received much rainfall lately. On the other hand, the
areas that received quite a bit of rainfall over the last few days
(mainly north of I-70) could have the flash flooding concerns. The
storms are expected to exit the area by midnight with some lingering
showers possible through the early morning hours. Overnight lows are
expected to be in the mid 50s to lower 60s.

Tomorrow the cut-off low aloft is expected to move across the
Central Plains towards the Mississippi River Basin while the upper
ridge strengthens over the Southwest CONUS to the Central High
Plains. This will keep the area dry through the mid afternoon. High
temperatures are expected to be in the upper 70s to mid 80s
tomorrow. During the mid to late afternoon hours, showers and storms
will be possible  mainly over the western half of the area as we go
under northwest to north-northwest flow aloft. Severe weather is not
anticipated at this time; however, gusts up to 60 mph and small hail
are possible. Overnight lows will be in the mid to upper 50s.

.LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday)
Issued at 338 PM MDT Sat Aug 5 2023

The Tri-State area will be under northwest flow aloft as the upper
ridge remains over the Southwest CONUS and Southern Plains mainly.
Another cut-off low is expected to sweep across the Rockies into the
Central Plains late Tuesday into Wednesday. As the low approaches,
multiple shortwave disturbances are expected to travel along the
ridge over the area leading to chances for afternoon/evening showers
and storms Monday and Tuesday. As the upper trough swings through,
precipitation chances will continue into Wednesday morning. Once the
trough exits, the area is expected to remain dry through the night.
More waves are expected to move across the Western CONUS during the
latter half of the week as an area of low pressure swings over
Southwest Canada. This will bring more shower and storm chances each
afternoon and evening, though confidence is lower with the chances
on Thursday evening should the ridge linger a bit longer over the
Tri-State area.

Temperatures are expected to remain cool on Monday with highs in
the upper 70s to lower 80s. Mid-week begins another slight warming
period with highs in the 80s on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday
through Saturday high temperatures are expected to warm into the
upper 80s to lower 90s. Overnight lows are expected to be in the
mid 50s to lower 60s Monday through Thursday and Saturday nights
and in the low to mid 60s Friday night.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday afternoon)
Issued at 1113 AM MDT Sat Aug 5 2023

Mainly VFR conditions for both terminals expected through ~00Z for
KGLD and ~02Z for KMCK when storms could create MVFR conditions.
Question is when storms will develop over the area and how quickly
they impact the terminals. Have a mention of thunder from 00Z-03Z
tonight over KGLD and 02Z-04Z over KMCK. Hazards for storms that
impact the terminals include frequent lightning, up to 2" hail, up
to 70 mph wind gusts, and heavy rainfall.

Winds are expected to shift from west to northwest at 10-15 kts during
the period, with periods of intermittent variability associated
with the storms.

&&

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

SHORT TERM...KMK
LONG TERM...KMK
AVIATION...KMK
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 5, 1:02 PM MST, 2 hours 29 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 5, 9:45 AM MST, 5 hours 46 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 5, 11:19 AM MST, 4 hours 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 5, 11:21 AM MST, 4 hours 10 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 5, 1:09 PM MST, 2 hours 22 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 5, 2:47 PM MST, 44 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 5, 2:56 PM MST, 35 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Goodland KS
356 PM MDT Sat Aug 5 2023

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

1215 AM     Hail             4 NNE Wray              40.14N 102.20W
08/05/2023  E1.75 inch       Yuma               CO   Cocorahs

            Delayed report. Observer reported estimated
            golf ball sized hail with dents to vehicles.
            Time is radar estimated.

0230 AM     Hail             4 SE Mcdonald           39.75N 101.32W
08/05/2023  M0.70 inch       Rawlins            KS   Public

            Delayed report of a little dime sized hail.

0245 AM     Hail             Atwood                  39.81N 101.04W
08/05/2023  M1.25 inch       Rawlins            KS   Public

            Delayed report. Picture on social media of
            hail ranging from penny to half dollar in
            size.

0245 AM     Hail             Atwood                  39.81N 101.04W
08/05/2023  M1.25 inch       Rawlins            KS   Public

            Corrects previous hail report from Atwood.
            Delayed report via social media. Quarter to
            half dollar sized hail observed.

0245 AM     Hail             Atwood                  39.81N 101.04W
08/05/2023  E0.88 inch       Rawlins            KS   Public

            Corrects previous hail report from Atwood.
            Delayed report via social media. Estimated
            pea to nickel sized hail observed.

0310 AM     Hail             3 NNW Joes              39.69N 102.71W
08/05/2023  E1.75 inch       Yuma               CO   Public

            Delayed report via social media. Nickel to
            golf ball sized hail observed. Time is radar
            estimated.

0521 AM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 N Colby               39.43N 101.05W
08/05/2023  M50 MPH          Thomas             KS   AWOS

0912 AM     Hail             3 WSW Ruleton           39.33N 101.92W
08/05/2023  E0.75 inch       Sherman            KS   Public

            Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).

0940 AM     Hail             Burlington              39.30N 102.27W
08/05/2023  E0.75 inch       Kit Carson         CO   Public

            Delayed report on social media of penny
            sized hail.

0945 AM     Hail             Burlington              39.31N 102.27W
08/05/2023  E0.75 inch       Kit Carson         CO   Trained Spotter

            Pea to penny sized hail observed with a
            duration of 5 minutes.

&&

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Yuma

When
August 5, 3:31 PM MST
Where
Yuma County, 6.19 mi WSW of Vernon
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.900, -102.390

The hail started out as quarter in size then increased to ping pong ball size.

Hail, Yuma

When
August 5, 3:35 PM MST
Where
Yuma County, 1.38 mi N of Vernon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.950, -102.280

Golf ball size hail reported just north of Vernon.

Hail, Yuma

When
August 5, 3:35 PM MST
Where
Yuma County, 2.53 mi WNW of Vernon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.950, -102.320

The hail ranged from ping pong to golf ball in size.

Hail, Yuma

When
August 5, 3:40 PM MST
Where
Yuma County, 2.11 mi NE of Vernon
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
39.950, -102.250

The hail ranged from quarter to half-dollar in size.

Hail, Yuma

When
August 5, 4:50 PM MST
Where
Yuma County, 7.67 mi N of Wray Muni Arpt
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.210, -102.250

The hail was quarter size to slightly larger.

Thunderstorm Wind, Yuma

When
August 5, 5:14 PM MST
Where
Yuma County, Yuma Arpt
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
40.100, -102.720

The winds came from the backside of the thunderstorm as the storm was moving southeast.

Thunderstorm Wind, Yuma

When
August 5, 5:20 PM MST
Where
Yuma County, 6.76 mi SSW of Schramm
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
40.010, -102.630

What these are

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, August 2023

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1133158, 1133157, 1133160, 1133161, 1133162, 1133163, 1133164.