Issue Date: Friday, July 8th, 2016
Issue Time: 9:00 AM MDT
Summary:
Yesterday morning, it appeared as though moisture would be forced east of Colorado, leaving areas too dry for thunderstorm development. Mother Nature had different ideas, instead passing a cool front/outflow boundary through eastern Colorado and allowing moisture to return in quick fashion. IPW values were in the 25th percentile for the date to begin the day, but by the late evening, IPW values climbed to near/above 1 inch at the Pueblo /Schriever AFB reporting stations and above 0.8 inches at Boulder.
This fuel, combined with the heat of the day, surface convergence, and upslope flow, allowed for isolated-to-scattered strong/severe thunderstorms to develop over the southern half of the Urban Corridor, Palmer Ridge, southern portions of the Northeast Plains, and Southeast Plains. These storms produced periods of heavy rain, hail, and strong winds.
I-25 southbound was closed between exits 96 and 98A this morning due to flooding, and areas underneath strong thunderstorms likely experienced street/field ponding/flooding, especially in poorly drained areas. For a statewide look at 24-hour precipitation totals, please take a look at the Storm Total Precipitation map below.
