Issue Date: Sunday, September 17, 2017
Issue Time: 10:20 AM MDT

Summary:

Subsident air followed the trough axis swinging across the state yesterday, leading to a much drier day overall. Only a few showers and a couple thunderstorms were able to develop yesterday, with much of the activity in the higher elevations resulting in light rain/snow showers. During the evening and overnight hours, a few weak showers/thunderstorms developed over the Northeast Plains, Palmer Ridge, and Southeast Plains. This activity generally produced between 0.05-0.15 inches of rain with a few locally higher amounts.

Flash flooding was not reported on Friday. For a look at precipitation estimates in your area, please see our State Precipitation Map below.

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Issue Date: Saturday, September 16, 2017
Issue Time: 10:20 AM MDT

Summary:

The upper-level low that was responsible for the unsettled day on Thursday continued to produce showers and thunderstorms yesterday, mainly across the western half of the state. Rain rates were generally light-to-moderate, with the heaviest report being 0.36 inches of rain in 20 minutes in Orchard Mesa. Additionally, light snow fell on the higher peaks. During the nighttime hours, a few showers continued across the western slope, but the main show was along/east of the Front Range as a cold front pushed southward through the area. Behind the cold front, moisture and upslope flow increased, kicking off a couple stronger thunderstorms that rumbled across the Front Range, Urban Corridor, and Northeast Plains.

Only two storm reports were submitted to the National Weather Service yesterday:
0.75 inch hail: 2 miles N of Firestone (Weld County), Orchard Mesa (Mesa County)

Flash flooding was not reported on Friday. For a look at precipitation estimates in your area, please see our State Precipitation Map below.

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Issue Date: Friday, September 15, 2017
Issue Time: 10:20AM MDT

Summary:

Much more active weather pattern yesterday as the ridge moved east and the upper-level trough from the west coast made its way into the state. The low tracked across southern Utah in the morning and the first wave of showers and thunderstorms reached the SW corner of the state by mid-afternoon. The system then tracked NE across the NW corner of the state and initiated widespread showers and thunderstorms through the evening. Showers decreased from SW to NE with the last remaining shower over the Northeast Plains ending just after midnight.

The trough weakened quiet rapidly as it moved through the state. With instability also decreasing after sundown and the negligible presence of low-level moisture, severe thunderstorm dynamics lacked. Faster wind speeds aloft also helped limit heavy rainfall over one area. None the less, the system brought a few areas of widespread rain.

Several SNOTEL stations had over 0.75 inches of rain for the 24-hour period. Over the San Juan Mountains near Telluride, two SNOTEL stations reported 0.9 inches with CoCoRaHS stations in the same range. Radar rainfall estimates were as high as 1 inch. Only minor increases to river discharges were recorded at nearby gages. A CoCoRaHS site in Delta County recorded 0.97 inches. Radar rainfall estimates were highest in this area estimating 1.5 inches of rain. As expected, these thunderstorms produced very gusty winds. An automated station over Rio Blanco County recorded a gust of 67 mph. Over the Northeast Plains, storms did not produce very much precipitation due to strong steering winds and dew points in the 40s. One exception was a severely warned cell over Southern Yuma County where dew points made it into the low 50s. Radar total rainfall estimates were 1.5 inches with 1 inch hail reported at 6PM.

There was no flooding reported Thursday. For rainfall estimates in your neighborhood, take a peek at the State Precipitation Map below.

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Issue Date: Thursday, September 14, 2017
Issue Time: 11AM MDT

Summary:

Last day with the ridge dominating the Colorado weather pattern. Westerly flow associated with ridge helped mix out even more of the low-level moisture at the surface. Dew points over the eastern plains were in the mid-40s again yesterday with isolated dew points in the low 50s further east. Storm formation yesterday was most abundant over the Front Range, Northern Mountains and Palmer Ridge with more isolated showers over the Southeast Mountains. SE storm movement around the ridge was a bit faster than the previous days. This faster storm motion paired with low surface moisture, limited the 24-hr rainfall totals and produced gusty winds.

The highest storm totals over the mountains were associated with a storm that formed in Grand County. Radar estimates were around 0.5 inches. Storms also formed along a line of convergence associated with the higher terrain of the Palmer Ridge. Radar estimated 1-hr rain rates over Kit Carson and Cheyenne County at 1 inch. A CoCoRaHS station in the area recorded up to 0.65 inches. As expected, these storms produced gusty winds due to the inverted-V atmospheric profile. Burlington airport reported a gust of 26 mph around 3PM yesterday.

There was no flooding reported Wednesday. For rainfall estimates in your area, take a look at the State Precipitation Map below.

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