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Weather Service Says Lower Temps May Help With Flash Flood Concerns

National Weather Service on Twitter

Heavy rainfall over parts of the Front Range has prompted a flash flood watch for those areas until 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 5.

"The ground is already saturated and the additional rainfall expected tonight is compounding the risk of flooding," said Frank Cooper, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder.

Despite the forecast looking similar to September 2013 when historic flooding occurred, Cooper said they aren't worried about a repeat event with these storms. An oncoming system, expected to get to the state Saturday, May 8 is colder, bringing a chance of snow in the mountains and higher foothills that could lower flooding potential.

Cooper said on average they are expecting up to three-quarters of an inch of rain an hour, but a thunderstorm could double that. Luckily the river levels are low enough to handle more water.

"Right now the river levels are in check there doesn't seem to be an issue at this time they may be running high but they are below any kind of alert levels that we'd be monitoring, so definitely got some room to work with there," Cooper said.

The foothills west of Denver and the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest burn scars will be among the areas most susceptible to flash flooding. NWS meteorologists aren't sure where the convection will develop so they can't pinpoint where thunderstorms - which could drop a considerable amount of rain - may happen.

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