As I approached Metro Denver yesterday morning, I drove through torrential rain from the Palmer Divide to the city. Having lived along the Front Range for the past 40 years, I have never seen such extensive flooding across the farmlands east of Denver. Within the city, ponding on the highways had caused a number of accidents, two of which involved multiple vehicles.
This latest Pacific storm was centered over southeastern Colorado, near the New Mexico line. Counterclockwise winds surrounding that low pressure center directed a plume of moisture from the Southern Plains to the Front Range urban corridor; Metro Denver was in the bullseye. While some thunderstorms (including at least two tornados) developed out on the Plains, the city received a steady dose of heavy rain which was forecast to continue through the night. A flood advisory was issued for Denver and surrounding communities.
Far to our southeast, the storm's dry-line ignited severe thunderstorms from North Texas to Western Kansas, demonstrating the size and power of the system. As the climate continues to warm, these seasonal storms will surely intensify and excessive rainfall will affect many areas, including the semi-arid landscape of the Front Range.
