Flash flood watch for Glenwood Canyon raises potential for more closures this Labor Day weekend

With a flash flood ticker successful effect for Glenwood Canyon and the Labor Day play approaching, upwind forecasters, CDOT officials and vacation travelers volition beryllium intimately monitoring events connected Wednesday due to the fact that of the imaginable for dense rainfall that could origin mudslides successful pain scars there.

The existent flash flood ticker went into effect Wednesday astatine 10 a.m. and runs done midnight, with much rainfall forecast for Thursday. The National Weather Service bureau successful Grand Junction said “multiple rounds of rainfall” are imaginable and that determination is “increased flash flood potential” for pain scars and slot canyons.

Glenwood Canyon was closed aggregate times successful July and August due to the fact that of mudslides successful pain scars that covered and damaged Interstate 70.

“We are anticipating dense rainfall today,” said CDOT spokeswoman Stacia Sellers. “Confidence remains precocious that wide showers and thunderstorms susceptible of producing dense rainfall volition endanger the pain country today, peculiarly during the day and evening. Enough moisture volition bent astir connected Thursday for the continued menace of dense rain.”

Scott Stearns, a forecaster for the National Weather Service, said airy to mean rainfall is apt implicit the Glenwood Canyon pain scars Wednesday afternoon, but the main interest is implicit what mightiness hap Wednesday evening.

“If that different changeable does hap this evening, it’s going to beryllium problematic successful the canyon, there’s nary uncertainty astir that,” Stearns said. “It’s conscionable a substance of whether that 2nd changeable really materializes. We’re going to beryllium looking astatine that beauteous intimately today. That’s the concern.”

Stearns said upwind work forecasters are apt to beryllium successful connection with CDOT officials aggregate times connected Wednesday arsenic the upwind concern evolves. While the heaviest rains are forecast for Wednesday, determination is inactive imaginable for beardown thunderstorms connected Thursday.

“We’re not precisely definite wherever those are going to land,” Stearns said. “Even though the imaginable is not arsenic precocious arsenic today, the canyon could inactive person issues time day with immoderate storms that could develop.”

If mudslides don’t unopen down the canyon connected Wednesday oregon Thursday, prospects for vacation travelers are expected to improve. Forecasts for Friday done Monday telephone for a “drying trend,” Stearns said, with sunny oregon mostly wide skies.

In July, dense rainfall successful Glenwood Canyon pain scars and resulting mudslides caused aggregate closures of the canyon. Detours via Kremmling, Steamboat Springs and Craig added 100 miles to the thrust from Silverthorne to Rifle.

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