SPM 05-22-2019: Another Cold Night with Freezing Temperatures over the Plains

Issue Date: Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019
Issue Time: 9:15AM MDT

Summary:

Another cold one overnight. Low temperatures dropped to freezing over the lower elevations of the eastern plains and Northwest Slope. The highest temperature yesterday was over Grand Junction where the 60°F mark was recorded. Elsewhere, temperatures were quite a bit below average for the end of May. Ongoing showers were present over the eastern plains in the deformation zone of the low. The heaviest 24-hour totals were recorded over the Northeast Plains. Radar estimations indicate 24-hour totals up to 1.5 inches with more general totals between 0.5 and 1 inch. Most all precipitation fell as snow over the Central and Northern Mountains with radar indicating heavy precipitation over Garfield County. Not many reports in this morning, but Avon received 2.3 inches. Heavy snow also fell in the San Juan Mountains with the snow level dropping to 7.5K feet. In Rockland, CO there was a report this morning with 8.1 inches falling overnight. Flooding was not reported.

To see precipitation totals from Tuesday, scroll down to the 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 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour total precipitation contain bias corrections that are not disaggregated into the hourly estimates, so there will likely be some differences. The accumulation ending time is 7AM of the date shown in the bottom right corner. Also shown optionally are vulnerable fire burn areas (post 2012), which are updated throughout the season to include new, vulnerable burn areas. The home button in the top left corner resets the map to the original zoom.