{"id":10178,"date":"2019-08-05T15:46:12","date_gmt":"2019-08-05T21:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coloradofloodthreat.com\/?p=10178"},"modified":"2019-08-08T11:24:05","modified_gmt":"2019-08-08T17:24:05","slug":"fto-08-05-2019-heavy-rainfall-threat-returns-with-the-frontal-passing-on-wednesday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/?p=10178","title":{"rendered":"FTO 08-05-2019: Heavy Rainfall Threat Returns with the Frontal Passage on Wednesday"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Issue Date: Monday, August 5th, 2019<br>\nIssue Time: 4:00PM MDT<br>\nValid Dates: 8\/6 &ndash; 8\/20<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/FTO_20190805.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10179\" src=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/FTO_20190805.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"880\" height=\"129\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There is lull in heavy rainfall tomorrow before a High\/Elevate flood threat is issued through this weekend. Taking a look at the water vapor imagery below, quite a bit of dry air circulating up and around the Pacific and west coast. It is usually a bit more concentrated in nature with stronger drying near the equator. With the subtropical high over Arizona, some of that dry air (yellow\/orange) has worked its way into western Colorado. This has decreased the chances for rainfall from Sunday to today, and it will continue to do so through tomorrow. Event #1 kicks into full gear on Wednesday as the ridge begins to get squashed and a cold front is pushed through eastern Colorado. This is due to multiple shortwaves rotating around the high\/low (labelled Event #2), which will also help enhance lift for <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;widespread&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;greater than 60% areal coverage&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>widespread<\/span> coverage of afternoon and evening storms. Lee troughing on Wednesday and Thursday will also help return low level moisture to eastern Colorado on its north side. However, low level moisture on its east side will likely stay over Kansas. More westerly steering flows will allow storms to move into the adjacent and eastern plains, so some heavy rainfall and marginal severe weather may be possible on both days. Thus, there is a High\/Elevated flood threat issued through Friday.<\/p>\n<p>After Friday, the high begins to rebuild over Texas. This will pull more Gulf of Mexico moisture into eastern Colorado, creating a <span class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;PW&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;(Stands for: Precipitable Water) The total atmospheric water vapor contained in a vertical column of the atmosphere. It is typically measured in inches, and anomalously (deviation from normal) high values of precipitable water generally correlate to heavy rainfall potential.&lt;\/div&gt;\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>PW<\/span> surge. At this same time, the low pressure system marked below begins to move inland. This is expected to increase <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;shortwave&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;A disturbance in the mid or upper part of the atmosphere which induces upward motion ahead of it.&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>shortwave<\/span> activity and southwest flow this weekend. The associated jet may also create some fire weather danger concerns over northwest Colorado, but there is lower confidence in that forecast as this time. More <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;zonal&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;refers to the east-west direction; usually used to describe atmospheric flow that roughly follows lines of latitude&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>zonal<\/span> flow behind the <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;trough&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;An elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure; the opposite of a ridge.&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>trough<\/span> will mix out moisture, so there is No Apparent Threat and a break in heavy rainfall forecast to start next week.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/wv_20190805.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10180\" src=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/wv_20190805.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"775\" height=\"420\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>First thing that catches my eye about the images below is that average <span class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;PW&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;(Stands for: Precipitable Water) The total atmospheric water vapor contained in a vertical column of the atmosphere. It is typically measured in inches, and anomalously (deviation from normal) high values of precipitable water generally correlate to heavy rainfall potential.&lt;\/div&gt;\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>PW<\/span> is starting to decrease (red line), which means climatologically, the <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;monsoon&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;&amp;lt;!-- wp:paragraph {&amp;quot;textColor&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;white&amp;quot;} --&amp;gt;\n&amp;lt;p class=&amp;quot;has-white-color has-text-color&amp;quot;&amp;gt;a seasonal wind that brings moisture and rain to the region into which it blows; there is also a dry phase to monsoons, but popular usage refers only to the wet phase; these winds occur in many places around the world, and where they occur they are responsible for a majority of that location&rsquo;s annual precipitation&amp;lt;\/p&amp;gt;\n&amp;lt;!-- \/wp:paragraph --&amp;gt;&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>monsoon<\/span> starts to taper off. The second thing is the variability between model members after Wednesday (gray lines), which just means there is more uncertainty in my forecast for this weekend. With that said, there is quiet the moisture return after the passage of the cold front on Wednesday over eastern Colorado. Paired with an increase in dynamic (shortwaves, boundary, etc.), heavy rainfall will be likely and may last overnight on Wednesday over the eastern plains. The moisture sticks around on Thursday, but storms will likely be confined to the mountains due to capping over the eastern plains. With favorable dynamics in place over the weekend and Gulf of Mexico moisture likely over eastern Colorado (if the high reforms over Texas), thinking <span class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;PW&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;(Stands for: Precipitable Water) The total atmospheric water vapor contained in a vertical column of the atmosphere. It is typically measured in inches, and anomalously (deviation from normal) high values of precipitable water generally correlate to heavy rainfall potential.&lt;\/div&gt;\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>PW<\/span> will be on the higher end of climatology. Thus, the Elevated flood threat.<\/p>\n<p>To the west, there is a slight increase in moisture on Wednesday and Thursday as well, although not quite as much as the last couple of systems. The subtropical high will be in an unfavorable location to produce <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;widespread&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;greater than 60% areal coverage&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>widespread<\/span> heavy rainfall. Nevertheless, expecting these days to have the greatest coverage of storms over the higher terrains. Quite the downtick in moisture through this weekend into next week. If the moisture drops off before the approaching low (and associated <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;jet stream&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;Relatively strong winds concentrated within a narrow stream in the atmosphere. General weather patterns are related closely to the position, strength and orientation of the jet stream.&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>jet stream<\/span>), there might be an increase in fire danger over the northwest corner at the end of this weekend into early next week.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/PW_20190805.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-10181\" src=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/PW_20190805.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"880\" height=\"295\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Event #1: <\/strong><strong>Tuesday<\/strong><strong> (8\/<\/strong><strong>6<\/strong><strong>) &ndash; <\/strong><strong>Friday<\/strong><strong> (8\/<\/strong><strong>9<\/strong><strong>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>High\/<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><strong>Elevated Threat<\/strong><\/span><em> as post frontal upslope flow and <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;numerous&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;40-60% areal coverage&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>numerous<\/span> shortwaves combine for favorable heavy rainfall environment. &nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Discussed this event quite a bit above, but I will add a few more details down here. On top of high moisture and favorable dynamics, storm motion is expected be very slow over the eastern high country and adjacent plains on Wednesday. Thus, some very heavy accumulations should be expected under storms that form, especially over the eastern plains (<span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;isolated&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;less than 10% areal coverage&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>isolated<\/span> totals &gt; 2.5 inches). Surface based <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;CAPE&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;(Stands for: Convective Available Potential Energy) CAPE is a measure of the amount of available energy in the atmosphere for convection. Higher values indicate a greater potential for stronger updrafts, thus an increase in the potential for thunderstorms and severe weather.&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>CAPE<\/span> and decent directional and speed <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;shear&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;Local variation of the wind, either in the horizontal or vertical direction.&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>shear<\/span> (shifting of winds with height) may cause storms along the Palmer <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;Divide&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;&amp;lt;!-- wp:paragraph {&amp;quot;textColor&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;white&amp;quot;} --&amp;gt;\n&amp;lt;p class=&amp;quot;has-white-color has-text-color&amp;quot;&amp;gt;the dividing line that separates the watersheds of the western and eastern United States; rivers west of the divide empty into the Pacific Ocean, while rivers east of the divide empty into the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico&amp;lt;\/p&amp;gt;\n&amp;lt;!-- \/wp:paragraph --&amp;gt;&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>Divide<\/span> and east to produce some large hail and strong winds as well. The hail threat will decrease as instability lessens a couple of hours after sundown. Recent burn areas, especially the Spring Creek burn scar, will be monitored closely in the FTB throughout this event as rain rates could be high enough to cause <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;flash flooding&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;&amp;lt;!-- wp:paragraph {&amp;quot;textColor&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;white&amp;quot;} --&amp;gt;\n&amp;lt;p class=&amp;quot;has-white-color has-text-color&amp;quot;&amp;gt;flash flooding can refer to usually dry areas becoming rapidly inundated with water, or rapid water level rises on streams, creeks, or rivers beyond flood stage; typically caused by heavy rainfall, but can also be caused by meltwater&amp;lt;\/p&amp;gt;\n&amp;lt;!-- \/wp:paragraph --&amp;gt;&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>flash flooding<\/span> and mud flow issues. To the west, the best chance for flooding rain rates over the Lake Christine and 416 burn areas will be on Wednesday. More <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;isolated&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;less than 10% areal coverage&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>isolated<\/span> coverage on storms on Thursday should decrease the overall flood threat to the west including the burn areas. Please be sure to tune into the FTO on Thursday for the latest and follow the FTB for the daily flood threat update.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/FTO_20190805_e1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-10224\" src=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/FTO_20190805_e1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"880\" height=\"497\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Legend.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-230\" src=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Legend.png\" alt=\"Legend\" width=\"94\" height=\"158\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Event #2: <\/strong><strong>Saturday<\/strong><strong> (8\/<\/strong><strong>10<\/strong><strong>) &ndash; <\/strong><strong>Tuesday<\/strong><strong> (8\/1<\/strong><strong>3<\/strong><strong>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><strong>Elevated Threat<\/strong><\/span><em> as the ridge begins to rebuild over Texas, which returns high <span class=\"glossaryLink\"  aria-describedby=\"tt\"  data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;PW&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;(Stands for: Precipitable Water) The total atmospheric water vapor contained in a vertical column of the atmosphere. It is typically measured in inches, and anomalously (deviation from normal) high values of precipitable water generally correlate to heavy rainfall potential.&lt;\/div&gt;\"  data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>PW<\/span> values to eastern Colorado.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>With the more southern and eastern position of the subtropical high, this event will favor heavier rainfall over eastern Colorado. The ridge is weaker than usual over the state for this event, which mean weaker easterlies for upslope flow. The main flood threat for this event will be storms that make it further east under the westerly and southwesterly steering flows. If the peak in diurnal heating coincides with a passing <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;shortwave&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;A disturbance in the mid or upper part of the atmosphere which induces upward motion ahead of it.&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>shortwave<\/span> over the adjacent plains, coverage of the heavy rainfall is forecast be much greater with some <span class=\"glossaryLink\" aria-describedby=\"tt\" data-cmtooltip=\"&lt;div class=glossaryItemTitle&gt;severe thunderstorms&lt;\/div&gt;&lt;div class=glossaryItemBody&gt;Thunderstorms that produce a tornado, winds of at least 58 mph (50 kts) and\/or hail at least 1&amp;quot; in diameter.&lt;\/div&gt;\" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{\"attribute\":\"data-cmtooltip\", \"format\":\"html\"}]'>severe thunderstorms<\/span> likely. The right entrance of the jet region will also be watched closely as this could cause some storms to linger overnight, which would increase accumulations. As mentioned before, lower confidence this far out and with varying model members. Please tune back into the FTO on Thursday as details will become clearer.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/FTO_20190805_e2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-10225\" src=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/FTO_20190805_e2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"880\" height=\"496\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Legend.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-230\" src=\"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Legend.png\" alt=\"Legend\" width=\"94\" height=\"158\"\/><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Issue Date: Monday, August 5th, 2019 Issue Time: 4:00PM MDT Valid Dates: 8\/6 &ndash; 8\/20 There is lull in heavy rainfall tomorrow before a High\/Elevate flood threat is issued through this weekend. Taking a look at the water vapor imagery below, quite a bit of dry air circulating up and around the Pacific and west [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10178"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10178"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10226,"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10178\/revisions\/10226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive-coftb.dewberryanalytics.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}