Flood and Fire Awareness Week 2022

Flood Watches and Warnings

Flooding can be a major problem in Colorado. River flooding can result from heavy rain during the spring and summer months and also from rapid snow melt or thunderstorm rain combining with runoff from melting snow.

Flash flooding, on the other hand, refers to a dangerous, sudden rise in water in an urban area, a canyon, or along a creek or wash over a normally dry land area. Flash floods can result from heavy rainfall, sudden breaks in ice jams, and dam or levee failures.

Flash floods can occur within a few minutes or hours and can move at surprisingly high speeds, striking with little warning. Flash floods can be quite destructive because of the force of the moving water and the debris that accumulates in flood waters. This debris could be trees or even boulders that can destroy roadways, bridges, and buildings.

Another complication in Colorado is the serious flooding that can result when heavy rain falls on recently burned areas or burn scars. Anyone living downstream from a recently burned area should be aware of the increased threat of flash flooding. Heavy rain could result in much faster, turbulent debris and ash-clogged flows from that burned area.

The National Weather Service will discuss flood and flood potential in daily hazardous weather outlooks and in the graphical weather story on National Weather Service websites. We will also make social media posts about the potential and forecast on Facebook and Twitter. On days with a high threat for flooding, you may hear of a Flash Flood or Flood Watch which means that flash flooding or flooding is possible within the watch area.

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