Marty’s Saturday Morning Forecast – Heavy Rain Likely – 7/31/2021
Overview: A cold front will bring low-level moisture up against the mountains, moisture associated with the summer monsoon will increase over and near the mountains, and the upper-level steering winds will be very light. The bottom line is that we’re tracking a cooler, wetter weekend with a threat for very heavy rain. The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for most areas along and west of the I-25 corridor, and along and south of the Arkansas River for Saturday and Saturday night.
Today: Partly to mostly cloudy and cooler with showers and thunderstorms developing over the mountains and across the Pikes Peak Region starting late this morning, and then increasing in coverage through the afternoon. Thunderstorms today aren’t likely to produce severe weather, but they will be capable of producing very heavy rain, gusty wind, and frequent lightning. Flash flooding could occur under any slow-moving, stronger cells that develop along and west of the I-25 corridor, especially over any of the local burn scars. Over the plains we expect showers and thunderstorms to be most common along and south of the Arkansas River where again, very heavy rain will be possible at times. All areas will be cooler with high temperatures in the 70s and 80s for the plains and 60s and 70s for the mountains prior to thunderstorms arriving.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms will continue well into the night, especially along and south of the Arkansas River where heavy rain will remain possible through at least midnight. Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered, lighter showers possible through dawn. Low temperatures will fall into the 40s and 50s for the mountains with 50s and 60s for the plains.
Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy and cool with scattered showers and thunderstorms most likely over and near the Wet and Sangre De Cristo Mountains and along the Raton Mesa. Showers are possible in other areas, but we don’t expect rain to be nearly as widespread or as heavy as what occurs on Saturday. High temperatures will reach the 60s and 70s for most areas, but a few spots over the plains could reach the lower 80s.
Extended: Showers and thunderstorms may again increase in coverage and intensity over and near the mountains on Monday with a renewed threat for flash flooding. The air should warm some for the rest of the week, but we do not appear to be as hot as we were last week. Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms most days with Wednesday looking to be the “driest” day of the week.
