SPM 08-27-2019: Isolated Storm over the Raton Ridge

Issue Date: Tuesday, August 27th, 2019
Issue Time: 9:50AM MDT

Summary:

Almost all of the state remained dry again with cooler high temperatures recorded statewide. Upslope flow over the Raton Ridge mixed with some residual moisture and generated a severe thunderstorm last night around 7:30PM. Storm motion to the southeast kept the storm from tracking over the Spring Creek burn area with the highest accumulations over the Raton Ridge. Radar derived up to 0.48 inches of rainfall over a two hour period, and a CoCoRaHS station near Trinidad measured 0.39 inches of rain for the 24-hour total. Similarly, a RAWS station in western Las Animas County near the Tercio Ranch Airstrip measured 0.36 inches in an hour.

As forecast, high temperatures dropped off yesterday by as much as 20°F over the Northeast Plains and Urban Corridor. Most of the region failed to break the 80°F mark in the wake of a strong cold front that moved through yesterday morning. The front produced some gusty winds as it pushed south with Pueblo Airport reporting a gust just under 40mph. Back to the west, highs over the southwest quadrant of the state remained a little warmer. High temperatures reached into the 80°Fs and 90°Fs over the region.

For a look at precipitation over your area, please visit the State Precipitation Map

Click Here For Map Overview

The map below shows radar-estimated, rainfall gage-adjusted Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPE) across Colorado. The map is updated daily during the operational season (May 1 – Sep 30) by 11AM. The following six layers are currently available: 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour total precipitation, as well as maximum 1-hour, 2-hour and 6-hour precipitation over the past 24 hour period (to estimate where flash flooding may have occurred). The 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour total precipitation contain bias corrections that are not disaggregated into the hourly estimates, so there will likely be some differences. The accumulation ending time is 7AM of the date shown in the bottom right corner. Also shown optionally are vulnerable fire burn areas (post 2012), which are updated throughout the season to include new, vulnerable burn areas. The home button in the top left corner resets the map to the original zoom.