May showers that have spilled into June have many Colorado regions teetering on the edge of average moisture totals for the year, but to those in the agricultural game, it’s good news from Heaven.
“It’s really been encouraging so far,” said Dr. Mike Bartolo, manager of Colorado State University’s Arkansas Valley Research Center at Rocky Ford, a region where famously plump and juicy melons are grown.
“It’s early in the season, but everything is in pretty good shape because of the moisture we’ve had.”
Rocky Ford depends on snow in the mountains in winter to deliver irrigation to its fields, but the fairly steady rainfall the past few weeks has been a blessing to the fruit in the fields, Bartolo said.
Backyard gardeners and green-lawn growers in Denver have benefitted, as well.
“My tomatoes are doing great,” said Debbie Green, who was shopping for fertilizer at Tagawa Garden Center and Florist in Centennial Tuesday afternoon. “Other than that one hot spell, it’s been a perfect spring.”
Though wet and cool for this time of year in Colorado, no temperature or moisture records for the date fell Tuesday, according to the weather service.
The coldest high temperature for a June 2 was 44 degrees set in 1951. The high on Tuesday was 54 degrees set at 1 a.m.
The warmest low temperature for a June 2 was 63 degrees in 1977, which is nine degrees warmer than Tuesday’s high temperature.
Denver started the day just 0.033 inches of precipitation below average for the year, no lean feat given the dry winter, according to the National Weather Service office in Denver.
But fell just short of the break-even mark for the year.
For the day, DIA got 0.98 inches of rainfall, an amount nearly doubled in other parts of the metro region. Aravada got nearly two inches of rain, Lone Tree received 1.8 inches and Highlands Ranch 1.5.
Other parts of the Front Range probably got more rain and probably went slightly above average, however, .
“We’re well-above average for the month, but we’re still just below it for the year,” said Frank Benton of the National Weather Service office in Boulder. “But that’s just for the rain falling on DIA.”
Showers expected for Tuesday evening slipped from likely to scattered, and rain chances on Wednesday slipped from likely to slight.
The high temperature in the metro region on Wednesday is expected to upper 60s. Rain chances remain in the forecast, as temperatures warm into the 70s on Thursday and Friday and the 80s for the weekend.
The normal temperature for June 2 is 77 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Higher elevations in the mountains saw snow Tuesday, which also is not unusual. Denver has seen snow as late as June 12.
Officials are warning of rapid flowing streams and rivers, because of the rain and snowmelt in many areas.
In the metro region, a flood advisory for northeastern Douglas County and southwestern Arapahoe County is in effect through 7:45 p.m., including Parker, southwest Aurora and eastern Centennial.
Forecasters said the rainfall could cause creeks along in the foothills and the urban corridor to run full through this evening.
A flood advisory has also been posted for the Blue River through Silverthorne in Summit County.
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson contributed to this report.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com.
