T-storms, floods in forecast

By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 07:40 a.m., May 21, 2008
Updated 11:19 a.m., May 21, 2008

Thunderstorms and floods are brewing to the east and the west even as metro Denver residents enjoy another warm, dry, beautiful day.

Today's expected high of 88 — likely the warmest day so far this year — could give way to thunderstorms late this afternoon and into the evening hours, National Weather Service meteorologists say.

The worst of the thunderstorms will be east of Denver, starting at an imaginary line running north to south from Greeley to Byers. Some of those storms could yield hail, damaging winds and an isolated tornado or two.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Transportation has closed some bike paths along I-70 in western Colorado in anticipation of the Colorado River cresting on Friday. The Gunnison River also is expected to crest about then.

Wyoming National Guardsmen and local volunteers are shoring up the banks of the Little Snake River near Baggs, north of Craig, Colo.

Janet Herold, the clerk and treasurer of the 400-population town, told the Associated Press that no water has spilled into town.

She said the high river has flooded agricultural areas upstream from Baggs.

Chadd Searcy, director of emergency management for Mesa County, told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel that the county likely will see "more water this year than we have in more than a decade."

The NWS has issued flood advisories for the Colorado River near the Colorado-Utah state line and near Cameo in De Beque Canyon.

There are no flood warnings or watches as of yet for the South Platte River basin, even though the snowpack there is at 130 percent of the long-term average.

The height of the snowmelt season is expected next week and the week after.

The faster the snowpack melts, the more likely it will bring flooding. So, if temperatures are warm the next couple weeks, and if that is paired with afternoon thundershowers, the risk could increase.

Chances for thunderstorms will continue through the area each of the next several days.

Thursday's high in Denver should dip to 74, followed by 75 on Friday and Saturday and 77 on Sunday.

The northeast plains are likely to get more rain than metro Denver over the next four days.

A strong upper level trough is expected to develop over the Great Basin to the west of Colorado, intensifying low pressure near the surface of the foothills by this afternoon.

A dry line will form east of the Front Range urban corridor and incubate thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms also are likely closer to the foothills from late this afternoon into the evening. They could be accompanied by gusty winds out of the south, up to 30 or 40 mph, and small hail.

The moisture will take the form of snow above 10,000 feet.

The high in Fort Collins should be 81, while Pueblo will be 10 degrees warmer at 91. Grand Junction is expecting a high of 82, and Fort Morgan should hit 87.

• May 21, 2008

  11:32 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  DahmersCookbook writes:

  http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.ph...

• May 21, 2008

  12:25 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  TheDenverB writes:

  nice dahmer. a link to an article showing we have 31,000 idiot scientists in this country.

  but hey, lets say they are right...

  does that mean we should keep on polluting the air and water at the rate we do?

  and do you fully reject that all of the millions of tons of gasses and crap we put into our environment every year DOESN'T have an affect on us?

  beyond your opposition to al gore, what is so wrong with becoming more energy and environmentally conscious in our lives?? why do you and people like you seem so bitterly against anything like that?

• May 21, 2008

  1:12 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Vtwinman writes:

  The fact that Al Gore spreads his lies to school children.
  Man made warming of the earth contributes .115% of all global warming on the earth. The 2000 or so "scientists" who actually believe man has a huge impact are vasly outnumbered.

• May 21, 2008

  7:14 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  MrPeabody writes:

  So, the DenverB: You're calling over 9,000 American PhD scientists idiots? There were only 600 some scientists that were involved in signing the IPCC report, which is NOT peer reviewed. Those who disagreed have been intimidated and marginalized and so this petition is very refreshing to see.

  The 31,000+ who disagree with the manmade global warming theory are just those in the U.S. - I'll bet the number worldwide is much, much higher.

  So much for trying to shutdown the debate. So much for the silly assertions of concensus on the science. It has always been a joke but the lamestream media has lapped it up while teachers indoctrinate the next generation with this myth.

  This GW panic is all about the ultimate goal of the U.N. - rationing energy use and by doing that, achieving power and control and eliminating the sovereignty of nations. If you think energy and food are expensive now, you ain't seen nothing yet. The proposed cap and trade system will make us yearn for the good old days when gas was "only" $4.00 a gallon.

• May 21, 2008

  8:53 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  derecho64 writes:

  I see the idiots who get their knowledge of science from right-wing know-nothings are in full bloom.

  Science isn't by popular vote - so the "31,000" is irrelevant. Besides, how many of them are knowledgeable about the subject?

  "MrPeabody", more than 600 scientists participated in the IPCC, and it was peer-reviewed.