SPM 08-29-2017: Isolated Storms Continue Out East, While Heat Stays Put West

Issue Date: Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Issue Time: 11AM MDT

Summary:

The Continental Divide continued to be a clear demarcation of weather regimes on Monday. To the west, hot and mainly dry weather was the norm. Grand Junction reached 96F, about 9F above its average high temperature for late August. Even higher elevation locations such as Copper Mountain reached the low 70s F. Isolated showers and storms were observed over the southern San Juans, though only a few tenths of an inch of rainfall, at best, were reported.

To the east of the Divide, higher boundary layer moisture allowed for slightly stronger storms. A cell in Chaffee County produced 0.69 inches (CoCoRaHS) and even prompted a brief Areal Flood Advisory during the late afternoon. Meanwhile, several rounds of rainfall up to 0.5-0.75 inches per hour moved across the far southern Sangre de Cristos. In all, radar estimates suggest up to 1.5 inches occurred. However, flooding was not reported.

For rainfall estimates in your area, check out our State Precipitation Map below.

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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 accumulation ending time is 6AM of the date shown in the bottom right corner. Also shown optionally are fire burn areas since 2012. The home button in the top left corner resets the map to the original zoom.

Note: We have identified a possible underestimation in QPE over the southwest part of the state. We are working to on this issue, and will provide an update as soon as possible.