LA PLATA COUNTY, Colo. — Officials in La Plata County are offering sandbags for residents who want to protect their property ahead of potential flooding in southwestern Colorado this weekend.
The Four Corners region is expected to receive “significant rainfall” starting Friday, according to a La Plata County spokesperson. To prepare for potential flooding, free sandbags are being distributed by the county’s Office of Emergency Management, in partnership with the Durango Fire and Upper Pine protection districts, the spokesperson added.
Weather forecaster with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction said Wednesday a flood watch for the region will begin Thursday evening and last through Saturday afternoon as tropical moisture moves in from the southwest, bringing widespread heavy rain and the threat of flash flooding for the area.
Precipitation Friday will lead to showers “but can’t rule out possible isolated thunderstorms” through the afternoon, forecasters said in their weather discussion. “There is a slight risk for heavy rain Friday in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado with this warm rain event, but confidence is too low at this time” to issue any warnings, they wrote.
Those widespread showers are expected to continue overnight into Saturday “with heavier shower and stronger thunderstorms possible late Saturday” into the overnight hours, they added.
A cold front dropping in from the Pacific Northwest early Sunday will push most of the moisture out of the region, but some residual moisture could create scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms favoring the higher terrain starting Sunday through mid-week next week, weather officials said.
“Models are hinting at another surge of tropical moisture from yet another Eastern Pacific tropical storm by mid-week, but uncertainty is high on this one,” they said in closing remarks.
The Denver7 Weather Team will keep you up-to-date with any weather changes as they occur throughout the state.
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