HPO
- Heavy Precipitation
Outlook
This daily text product is available by 11 AM. The HPO provides a rain forecast for the
District pointing out where storms are most
likely. When the potential for flooding exists, this product is renamed
Internal Message Status or IMS and will note the message status for each
District county, i.e. Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and
Jefferson.
QPF
- Quantitative
Precipitation Forecast
This text product is only available on days when the one-hour rainfall potential exceeds 1.5 inches. The QPF contains
more basin-specific information than the HPO and requires some knowledge of the
regional major drainage basins, streams and associated flood hazards.
Expected rainfall totals, storm duration, peak intensities
and probabilities of occurrence are provided.
ST
- Storm
Track
This combination map/text product is a short-lead
forecast showing where a storm has formed or is forming, the approximate
size of the storm, the direction (or track) of the storm, and the estimated arrival times
at points along
the forecast track. This is probably the most anticipated product of
the F2P2, but keep in mind that it is only available within an hour or less of
storm impact. Also, the ST is not prepared for storms that
do not pose a flood threat.
Messages
Standard messages are issued to warning points in each of the seven
District counties. Dispatchers disseminate the information
according to standard operating procedures unique to each jurisdiction.