Colorado braces for a cooler week as afternoon storms return and a flood watch covers parts of the southeast
Colorado residents should expect cooler temperatures this week as afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms return across the state, according to the National Weather Service. Scattered showers and storms are expected Monday afternoon and will grow stronger as they push east.
In the Denver metro area, storms are likely Monday from about 9 a.m. to midnight, with the heaviest rainfall and thunder around 5 p.m., per hourly forecasts. Tuesday brings a higher chance of showers in the city from 6 p.m. to midnight, though thunderstorms are expected to be less widespread than on Monday.
Temperatures will peak in the 70s across Denver and the Eastern Plains. The mountains will see low to mid-60s Monday and Tuesday, with a possible rise into the 70s later in the week. The Western Slope will range from the mid-70s to the high-80s, with rainfall expected to help dampen drought conditions in the region. No 90-degree days are anticipated.
Monsoon moisture is also likely in southern Colorado on Monday and Tuesday, the Pueblo weather office notes.
Flood concerns dominate the forecast in the southeast. The main flood threat on Monday is in southeastern Colorado, where a flood watch has been issued from noon Monday through Monday evening. The watch area includes Fremont, Teller, El Paso, Pueblo and Las Animas counties, with the Rampart Range and Pikes Peak also at risk. Forecasters warn that excessive runoff could flood rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying, flood-prone locations.
On Tuesday, heavy rainfall and thunderstorms may trigger flash flooding in southwestern and western Colorado. The warning area stretches north to Glenwood Springs and Breckenridge, east to Colorado Springs and Pueblo, south to the Colorado-New Mexico border, and west to the Colorado-Utah border.
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Summary: A cooler, stormy week ahead with pockets of heavy rain and a flood watch in southeast Colorado; rainfall could also provide drought relief on parts of the Western Slope. If you’re in flood-prone areas, stay alert to updates and heed local warnings.