Thursday’s high of 84 degrees in Denver was the warmest so far this year.
However, today’s high may exceed the Mile High City’s record for May 20 of 91 degrees set more than a half-century ago in 1954.
While Denverites get a taste of the summer sizzle to come, Western Slope residents are on the lookout for high water from springtime flooding.
The National Weather Service has issued flood watches for southwest and west-central Colorado, as well as for northeast Utah.
The flood watches in Colorado covered portions of Montezuma, La Plata, Archuleta, Delta, Mesa and Montrose counties.
“Very warm temperatures forecast for the next several days will result in significant snowmelt” across the southern San Juan Mountains and on the Grand Mesa and surrounding mountains, according to the watches.
All rivers and streams in the watch areas are expected to rise over the weekend.
Flooding is forecast along the Mancos and Hesperus rivers and on Vallecito, Junction and Lightner creeks in southwest Colorado; on the Plateau, Surface and other creeks that drain the Grand Mesa; and in low-lying areas along the Gunnison River, especially near Delta, the Weather Service warned.
“Residents living in low-lying or flood-prone areas near rivers and creeks should be prepared for some flooding by this weekend,” the watch said.
After the heat of today, Denver-area temperatures are expected to moderate into the mid-80s Saturday and the mid-70s Sunday, with a chance of thunderstorms. The evenings will cool down into the high 40s to the low 50s, the Weather Service predicted.
Staff writer Jim Kirksey can be reached at 303-820-1448 or jkirksey@denverpost.com.