Potential for severe storms and flash flooding on Thursday and Friday – Update

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) – The First Alert Weather team has declared a First Alert Weather Day for both Thursday and Friday.

Flash Flooding & Other Potential Impacts

Flash flooding is possible, especially Thursday evening through Friday. The Thursday evening drive and the Friday morning drive will also be affected. Be ready for a slow-go on the roads at times. Remember, if the roadway is flooded, do not attempt to cross it. That is extremely dangerous and can be deadly. Also note that at night, low visibility makes misjudging flooding more difficult. Keep in mind mud slides are more likely around burn scars of recent wildfires. Rock slides are also possible, even away from the burn scars. Remember, Interstate 70 is closed if rainfall rates excess one inch per hour.

Approximate Timing

Thursday will start quietly. Rain will begin increasing between noon and 3 PM. Showers and thunderstorms will become increasingly widespread between 3 PM and 6 PM. There will be occasional breaks, but rain can fall heavily when it’s falling. Rain may fade to an end, offering us a break, between about 9 PM and midnight. Then scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms will become increasingly likely starting between noon and 3 PM on Friday. They’ll break again by midnight Friday night.

Rainfall Forecast Amounts

Some areas will get as much as 1-2 inches of rain. Some of us may get less than a tenth of an inch of rain. The heaviest amounts will generally be favored amid the higher terrain. However, it’s not the total rainfall that’s a concern. The high rainfall rates will be the primary contributor to the flash flood risk.

Our Next 24 Hours

This evening will be partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms. We’ll cool from upper 80s at 6 PM to lower 80s at 8 PM, then to upper 70s at 10 PM. Rainy areas will be 5-10 degrees cooler. Most of the rain will end by midnight. The rest of tonight will be mostly cloudy. Low temperatures by morning will be near 66 degrees around Grand Junction, 59 degrees around Montrose, 63 degrees around Delta, and 58 degrees around Cortez. Thursday will be mostly sunny to partly cloudy through midday, then mostly cloudy with scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms. Some storms can be heavy. Flash flooding is possible. High temperatures before the rain can be as high as 88 degrees around Grand Junction, 84 degrees around Montrose, 89 degrees around Delta, and 83 degrees around Cortez.

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