Marty’s Saturday Morning Forecast – Cooler & Stormy For Some – 6/15/19

Overview: The recent warmth has accelerated the snow melt over the mountains, and with the heavy snow-pack this past season many waterways fed by the snow melt are running very high. Over the next several days it appears we’ll have a good bit of moisture in the atmosphere which will support a high coverage of thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rain, and for some areas possibly some severe weather at times. The combination of snow melt, high running waterways and thunderstorms capable of heavy rain could lead to areas of flooding for several days, particularly for areas affected by wildfires in recent years. Numerous showers and thunderstorms should help to keep the air cooler for the next several days as well.

Today: Breezy and not as hot with widespread showers and thunderstorms developing this afternoon, particularly along and south of the Arkansas River. Flood Watches have been posted for the mountain areas to the southwest of Pueblo as well as the San Luis Valley for the potential that thunderstorms capable of heavy rain will interact with local burn scars or aggravate already swollen waterways due to fast melting snow. Severe weather is possible over mainly the southeastern corner of the state where large hail and damaging wind gusts are possible with the strongest cells, elsewhere stronger storms could produce heavy rain, small hail, gusty wind and frequent lightning. High temperatures will reach the 70s and 80s for the plains with 60s over the mountains around lunch time , but as thunderstorms become more widespread this afternoon the air will cool noticeably.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms will move away from the mountains but may continue well into the night over the southeastern plains. Most areas will become partly cloudy by morning. We expect low temperatures in the 40s over the mountains with a mixture of 40s and 50s for the plains.

Sunday (Father’s Day): Partly cloudy, breezy and a little cooler again with scattered showers and thunderstorms returning by the afternoon hours. Thunderstorms on Sunday look to be focused more heavily over the Pikes Peak Region as compared to areas farther south, but we cannot rule out storms anywhere Sunday afternoon and evening. Severe weather doesn’t appear very likely on Sunday, but stronger cells will still be capable of producing heavy rain, small hail, gusty wind and frequent lightning. High temperatures on Sunday should reach the 70s to near 80 for the plains with mainly 60s over the mountains.

Extended: Monday should bring another round of widespread thunderstorms to the area with heavy rain and severe weather both likely. The air should begin to dry out gradually starting Tuesday although we still expect showers and thunderstorms will be quite numerous for some areas. The latter half of the week should be warmer and drier with thunderstorms still possible, but likely much more isolated in coverage. High temperatures should reach the 80s and 90s for the plains on Thursday and Friday with mountain areas warming back into the 70s .