Issue Date: 9/11/2015
Issue Time: 8:30AM
—NO FLOOD THREAT TODAY
A strong cool front has made its way down the eastern plains of Colorado, even spilling over on the other side of the Continental Divide. The cool front is being accompanied by a surface high pressure system and subsidence, as shown in the water vapor image below. The result will be a 15F drop in afternoon temperatures. As is typical, upslope flow has established itself in the wake of the frontal passage. However, precipitable water values (PWs) are relatively low today, in the 0.4 to 0.8 inch range, and will continue to fall for most of the state. The only exception to this will be in the far south along the New Mexico border, where PWs will hover around 0.75 inches. With the aforementioned upslope flow, a few showers and a weak thunderstorm will be possible over southern Colorado this afternoon and evening. However, with the fast steering flow and limited instability, flooding concerns are not expected today.
Today’s Flood Threat Map
For more information on today’s flood threat, see the map below (hover over threat areas for more details). For Zone-Specific forecasts, jump below the map.
Zone Specific Forecasts
Front Range, Urban Corridor, Northeast Plains, Southeast Plains, Palmer Ridge, Raton Ridge, Southeast Mountains:
Partly to mostly sunny and much cooler with high temperatures in the low 50s over the higher terrain to the 70s and low 80s in the lowest elevations. A few scattered showers and a weak thunderstorm will be possible during the afternoon and early evening hours over the Southeast Plains and Raton Ridge. However, max 1-hour rain rates will be 0.25 inches or less. Flooding is not expected today.
Southwest Slope, San Juans, San Luis Valley, Central Mountains, Northern Mountains, Grand Valley, Northwest Slope, Southwest Slope:
Mostly sunny and seasonably warm with high temperatures in the mid-50s in the higher elevations to the mid-80s over the lower elevations. Flooding is not expected today.
