Issue Date: Wednesday, May 24th, 2017
Issue Time: 10:20AM MDT

Summary:

After a long stretch of active weather, Tuesday was much quieter statewide. A few afternoon cumulus clouds were able to form given the high soil moisture. However, these managed to produce only isolated rain showers mainly along and east of the Continental Divide. Lucky locations received up to 0.1 inches of rainfall. For everyone else, it was a pleasant Tuesday.

In anticipation of the upcoming snow melt, this morning’s check of the statewide snowpack, below, shows conditions that are almost exactly in sync with the long-term climatology. We will be monitoring temperatures and precipitation over the coming weeks to inform of potential snow-melt related flooding.

For precipitation estimates in your area, check out our Precipitation Map below. Flooding was not reported on Tuesday.

Issue Date: Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017
Issue Time: 9:40AM MDT

Summary:

Active weather continued across most of Colorado on Monday, as an upper-level disturbance and accompanying surface cool front moved across the state from the north. With ample early heating, even a few weak thunderstorms got into the mix especially across southern areas.

Precipitation started in the early afternoon hours along the Wyoming border, then spread rapidly southward. Rainfall amounts in the 0.15 to 0.30 inch range were typical. However, over the Palmer Ridge, Southeast Plains and Southeast Mountains a few locations received closer to 0.5 inches of rainfall. Gusty winds up to 60 mph accompanied at least one storm along the Kansas border in the mid-afternoon, prompting a brief severe thunderstorm warning. For everyone else, just another orderly rainfall event in what is becoming quiet an active May.

Snow mixed in with the rain above 9,000 feet (lowering to about 7,500 feet by evening). However, only limited accumulations were reported, generally below 3 inches.

For precipitation estimates in your area, check out our Precipitation Map below. Flooding was not reported on Monday.

Issue Date: Monday, May 22nd, 2017
Issue Time: 10:30AM MDT

Summary:

After a brief break on Saturday, precipitation found its way into Colorado again on Sunday. While the first half of the day was pleasant, a quick moving disturbance began to generate rain and high-elevation snow showers across western Colorado by early afternoon. These quickly moved eastward and affected eastern Colorado by the late afternoon and evening hours. Activity persisted into the overnight hours in the southeast part of the state. With little to no instability and fast storm motion, precipitation rates were of low/moderate intensity. Max 24-hour rainfall up to 0.8 inches was noted over the Palmer Ridge and Southeast Plains. However, hourly precipitation rates were 0.4 inches or less.

For precipitation estimates in your area, check out our Precipitation Map below. Flooding was not reported on Sunday.

Issue Date: Sunday, May 21st, 2017
Issue Time: 9:50AM MDT

Summary

The last reach of the disturbance causing Thursday’s snowstorm continued to affect eastern Colorado on Saturday. Scattered rain showers were observed mainly in the morning hours across the Southeast Plains and Northeast Plains. However, with weakening atmospheric forcing, only 0.1 inches of precipitation or less was reported across many locations in Morgan, Logan, Otero, Washington, Pueblo and El Paso counties.

Elsewhere, some moist upslope flow produced up to 0.4 inches of snowfall in the higher elevations of the Northern Mountains and Central Mountains, keeping an already healthy snowpack well fed.

For most everyone else, sunny skies prevalied, allowing for substantial snow melt in the Front Range. As of this morning, almost all locations below 9,000 feet were down to less than 1 foot of snow depth.

Finally, the South Platte River crest from Thursday’s storm continued to travel downstream and made it to Fort Morgan. However, crest levels were below Minor flood stage so major issues were reported.

For precipitation estimates in your area, check out our Precipitation Map below. Flooding was not reported on Saturday.