WeatherFanatics: Flash Flood Threat Heightens Across the Rockies

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Flash Flood Threat Heightens Across the Rockies

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

August 13,2014; 9:08PM,EDT

The flash flood threat will remain heightened across the Rockies through Thursday, posing dangers to residents and hikers.
The combination of a storm system interacting with monsoonal moisture will contribute to numerous downpours across the Rockies through Thursday.
Downpours will increase across Utah, northern Arizona and neighboring parts of New Mexico and Colorado through the end of Wednesday before shifting to Wyoming at night.
Wyoming and central Colorado is where the downpours will focus on during Thursday, while thunderstorm chances diminish across Utah and Arizona.

Any torrential bursts of rain can quickly cause raging water to develop in canyons, small streams and normally dry washes. Flooding could also rapidly unfold in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
Mudslides are another concern, especially where wildfires have recently charred the landscape.
The flood threat encompasses Salt Lake City and Price, Utah; Flagstaff, Arizona; Grand Junction, Steamboat Springs and Aspen, Colorado; and Riverton, Rawlins and Gillette, Wyoming.
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Campers and hikers in these states, including in Rocky Mountain National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, are strongly urged to monitor communication devices and be prepared to move to higher ground.
Remember never to cross a flooded road or stream. The water underneath may be deeper and/or flowing faster than what it appears on the surface.
While flash flooding threatens the Rockies, another storm system will remain the culprit behind the severe thunderstorm danger across the interior Northwest through Thursday.

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