Front Range Foothills / Denver Metro Weather Briefing – 8 July, 2012 – 0750 hrs MDT

Synopsis – One more day of heavy rains and thunderstorms with some storms capable of producing up to 2 inches of rainfall within an hour. The ground is now saturated in many places, so flash flooding will be an issue in all areas today along with dangerous, intense, and frequent lightning.


Watches & Warning:


A Flash Flood Watch is in effect from 1100 hours to 2400 hours for all of the Denver Metro and the Front Range Foothills. Some storms may dump up to 2 inches of rain in a short period of time. Persons in and near any recent burn areas should be prepared for mudslides and / or debris flows. Expect flooding in low lying areas including roads and highways.

Hazardous Weather Outlook for today and tonight: Rain showers will continue over the northeast plains of Colorado this morning but overall rainfall amounts will be light. There will be another round of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening with again the threat of very heavy rain and flash flooding possible. Rainfall rates may be as high as 2 inches in less than an hour.

Due to the saturated grounds from previous rains, a flash flood watch will be in effect for the foothills, Urban Corridor and Palmer Divide from 11 AM until midnight tonight. The biggest target areas for flash flooding today will be over the fire burns and foothill locations of western Boulder and Larimer counties. The showers and thunderstorms will gradually diminish later tonight.


For Monday through Saturday: There will be a chance of thunderstorms on Monday, with the best chance for storms roughly south of Interstate 70. Some of the storms forming along the Palmer Divide may briefly produce heavy rainfall and strong gusty winds. The chance for storms will then decrease considerably on the plains for the rest of the week as drier and warmer air spreads over the area. Meanwhile there will be at least a slight chance of thunderstorms in the high country each day through Saturday.



Front Range Foothills Forecast

Today A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 52. Northeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. East northeast wind 5 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Monday Night A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable.

Tuesday A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. West southwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming east in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.


West Denver Metro Area Forecast

Today A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10am. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Light and variable wind becoming north northeast 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely before midnight, then a chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 56. North northeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. Light and variable wind becoming northeast 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

Monday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming east southeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.