For the third day in a row, a flash flood watch has been issued for western Colorado and eastern Utah, but conditions are expected to dry up for the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
The flash flood watch is in effect from 12 p.m. Friday until 12 a.m. Saturday. A watch will be elevated to a flash flood warning if flooding is imminent and/or occurring.
Since Wednesday, the National Weather Service has issued flash flood watches as slow-moving thunderstorms move throughout the region, bringing heavy rain in short amounts of time.
During that period, there have been flash flood warnings in Dolores, Montezuma, Pitkin, San Miguel and Rio Blanco counties in Colorado. No reports of flash floods have occurred in La Plata County.
Norv Larson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said it’s a bit unusual to have flash flooding watches for three days in a row, but “all the elements lined up” this week.
“We have a strong surge of monsoon moisture in the area the past several days,” Larson said. “That’s what’s been driving these decisions for these watches.”
However, Larson said conditions this weekend should significantly dry up.
“It’ll be drier, but the thing to remember about this time of year is dry is a relative term,” Larson said. “We’re trending toward decreasing (thunderstorm) activity ... but we’ll still see some storms over the high terrain in the evening, especially in the San Juan Mountains.”
Larson said weather models are showing that monsoons are expected to return to the region on Monday.
“We’ll start to transition back into a pattern similar to what we’re in right now by the middle of next week,” he said.
The Weather Service recommends avoiding slot canyons, areas downstream of burn scars and normally low-flow or dry streams and creeks where water can rise quickly, even if the storm is miles away.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
