The stuttering runoff from this year’s bounty of snow has resumed as temperatures across the state creep above 80 degrees.
Following a Memorial Day weekend chill that calmed most Colorado rivers and streams, the National Weather Service on Saturday issued a slew of flood warnings, watches and advisories. But because that weekend-long cool- down stunted a surge of snowmelt, most of the Weather Service’s warnings and watches indicated rivers barely reaching flood stage by the middle of this week.
“We were lucky to get that cooler weather,” said John Hutchins , emergency services manager in Rio Blanco County, where the White River was expected to reach 5 feet, a foot below flood stage, by midweek. “It’s not as high now as it was earlier.”
As of midday Saturday, the Weather Service issued three flood advisories in Colorado:
• The Eagle River below Gypsum, which is expected to reach 8.1 feet by Tuesday, shy of the 9-foot flood stage.
• The White River near Meeker, which is expected to reach 5.2 feet by Monday, shy of its 6-foot flood stage.
• The Crystal River above Redstone, which is expected to hit 4.5 feet on Tuesday, shy of the 5-foot flood stage
The Weather Service issued two flood watches, meaning flooding is possible but not imminent:
• Gunnison County’s East River at Almont is expected to reach its 7-foot flood stage by Tuesday.
• The Arkansas River at Cañon City could reach its 9-foot flood stage by Monday.
Two flood warnings, where flooding is imminent, were issued for northwest Colorado:
• The Elk River near Milner could reach its 7-foot flood stage early this week.
• The Yampa River at Deerlodge Park is expected to surge beyond its 12-foot flood stage by Tuesday.
Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374 or jblevins@denverpost.com
