SPM 07-26-2018: Another Day of Unsettled Weather Across Colorado

Issue Date: Thursday, July 26th, 2018
Issue Time: 9:30 AM MDT

Summary:

Moisture was plentiful yesterday, and Mother Nature did her best to use it to its fullest potential. Scattered showers/thunderstorms dotted the state, with the strongest storms bringing 35 mph to 70 mph wind gusts, hail up to 1 inch in diameter, and heavy rainfall. Flash flooding was observed in a couple locations yesterday:

-Eastbound C-470 was closed at Lucent this morning due to flooding (standing water) on the roadway
-1 mile NNE of Trimble (La Plata County): A 4-to-5 foot wall of debris flowed down Tripp Creek Gulch and spread out as it crossed CR 203 and ran across the yards of several homes along Tripp Creek Road

As far as rainfall observations go, here are the big winners from several counties according to CoCoRaHS:
1.56 inches: Boulder County
1.39 inches: Weld County
1.35 inches: Larimer County
1.26 inches: Logan County, Elbert County
1.25 inches: Adams County
1.22 inches: Douglas County
1.02 inches: Pueblo County

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.