NewsLocal

Actions

Flood watches cover western, central Colorado as strong front rolls in

Flash flood threats expected in Colorado mountains Wednesday afternoon
colorado mountains rain
Posted
and last updated

DENVER — On this last full day of summer, it's feeling a lot like fall.

A cold front raced across Colorado overnight and residents woke up to much cooler and wetter conditions in the wake of near-90-degree days earlier this week around Denver.

By Wednesday afternoon, numerous showers and isolated storms will roll through the mountains and will spread east through the late afternoon and early evening, according to the National Weather Service out of Boulder.

Wet, cooler conditions expected Wednesday afternoon

Flood watches are currently in effect for:

  • Central Colorado, including Park County and Summit County. This flood watch ends Thursday afternoon
  • Central Colorado River Basin, Debeque to Silt Corridor, Flat Tops, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus, Upper Gunnison River Valley and West Elk and Sawatch Mountains. This flood watch ends Thursday evening
  • Animas River Basin, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin, Four Corners/Upper Dolores River, Grand Valley, Grand and Battlement Mesas, Northwest San Juan Mountains, Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River, San Juan River Basin, Southwest San Juan Mountains and Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide. This flood watch ends Thursday evening
  • All central and southwest mountain ranges. This flood watch ends Thursday afternoon
  • Northern and central San Luis Valley, the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, western and central Fremont County, the upper Arkansas River Basin, and the Mosquito Mountain Range. This flood watch ends Thursday afternoon

All of the state's burn scars are under limited to elevated threats for flash flooding Wednesday. By Thursday, the risks drop to limited or none at all.

storms sept 21 2022_National Weather Service

Rainfall for the central mountains and valleys may total 1 inch to 1.5 inches, with heavier amounts — up to 2 inches — possible in places.

On Thursday, moderate precipitation will continue, but skies will clear by the afternoon, the NWS reported.

Rainfall may total up to 4 inches along the Continental Divide through the end of the day Thursday.

The flood watches in northeast and north-central Colorado are set to expire around 6 p.m. Thursday, when precipitation will start to slow down.

The weekend and early next week look mostly clear and dry, according to NWS.