| Temperatures will be well below normal today with afternoon highs reaching the mid 60’s to around 70 over the plains. Normal high for Denver today is 89 degrees. The temperatures will be held down due to cloud cover with the foothills and Palmer Divide breaking out of the clouds quicker than the majority of the plains. The day will start off relatively quiet with thunderstorm chances this afternoon hinging upon how much sunshine is able to develop. Should conditions stay on the cloudy/cooler side the chances for thunderstorms will be low and the storms relatively weak. If clouds break up and there is more daytime heating, then thunderstorms will be more numerous/stronger. With more sunshine expected over the foothills and Palmer Divide today these areas will be more prone for thunderstorm activity, some of which may become strong with the potential for heavy rainfall and hail. Rain showers and isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms will first develop over the higher terrain to the S and W of the District between noon and 2pm. Chances for thunderstorms then spread out onto the plains after 2pm and continue possible until around midnight. Storms that develop in the evening have the potential to be the stronger storms of the day. Showers and thunderstorms that develop today will be relatively fast moving from W to E at 20-25mph which will help to reduce point rainfall amounts over a single location. A large thunderstorm or training of thunderstorm cells will pose the greatest risk for extended periods of heavy rainfall that may lead to excessive runoff. |
WORST CASE SCENARIO: A large thunderstorm or training of thunderstorm cells may result in up to 2.3” of rain in 45-75 minutes.
A LOOK AHEAD: Temperatures will warm back into the 80’s over the plains on Thursday with widely scattered afternoon thunderstorms, some of which will contain brief heavy rainfall. Daily chances for afternoon/evening thunderstorms will continue Friday and Saturday with temperatures around 80 for highs over the plains.
| Location | Prime Time | 30-Minute Rainfall and % Probability |
Message Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains | |||
| Adams |
200 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (80%) to 0.5" (40%) to 1.5" (10%) | |
| Arapahoe |
200 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (80%) to 0.5" (40%) to 1.5" (10%) | |
| Broomfield |
200 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (80%) to 0.5" (40%) to 1.5" (10%) | |
| Denver |
200 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (80%) to 0.5" (40%) to 1.5" (10%) | |
| Boulder |
100 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (80%) to 0.5" (50%) to 1.5" (15%) | |
| Douglas |
100 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (80%) to 0.5" (50%) to 1.5" (15%) | |
| Jefferson |
100 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (80%) to 0.5" (50%) to 1.5" (15%) | |
| Foothills above 6500ft | |||
| Boulder |
1200 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (90%) to 0.5" (60%) to 1.5" (20%) | |
| Douglas |
1200 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (90%) to 0.5" (60%) to 1.5" (20%) | |
| Jefferson |
1200 PM TO
1159 PM |
0.1" (90%) to 0.5" (60%) to 1.5" (20%) |
MONITOR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FOR SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENTS.