SPM 05-19-2018: Ample Moisture and Broad-Scale Support for Numerous Showers/Thunderstorms

Issue Date: Saturday, May 19th, 2018
Issue Time: 9:30 AM MDT

Summary:

Much of the state got in on the rain act yesterday, especially east of the Continental Divide where lower-level moisture and instability was best. Storms got an early start over the Front Range, as is usual, beginning during the early afternoon hours. Eventually, storms slowly made their way eastward across the Urban Corridor and then over the Plains. Heavy rainfall and plenty of hail were the main impacts from stronger thunderstorms yesterday, producing isolated street/field/small stream flooding across portions of the Urban Corridor, Front Range, and Northeast Plains.

West of the Continental Divide, showers/thunderstorms were more of the garden variety, with the majority of activity over the Northwest Slope, Northern Mountains, and Central Mountains. Elsewhere, only a few isolated showers were mustered.

Numerous showers and an isolated thunderstorm or two continue across portions of the Front Range, Urban Corridor, Palmer Ridge, Northeast Plains, and Southeast Plains this morning. For a look at precipitation estimates in your area, please see our State Precipitation Map below.

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 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.