Tuesday, July 28 — Denver starts the day on a friendly note, with clear skies and temperatures hovering near 70°F, but the script flips quickly this afternoon. Scattered, then numerous, showers and thunderstorms are expected to fire up, with highs reaching near 92°F before storms knock readings back into the upper 80s. In short, your morning looks great, your afternoon may be soggy, and the drive home could get messy.
Afternoon Storms And Flood Watch
A Flood Watch is in effect from 3 p.m. MDT Tuesday, July 28, through this evening for parts of northeastern Colorado, where thunderstorms could dump heavy, efficient rainfall and trigger flash flooding, especially east of the I-25 corridor, according to the National Weather Service Denver/Boulder. The watch zeroes in on a relatively narrow band across the northeastern plains where storms may wring out a lot of rain in a short span of time.
Timing And What To Expect
Showers and thunderstorms become more likely after about 1 p.m., with a prime window from mid to late afternoon into early evening, roughly 3 to 7 p.m. Some storms could produce very heavy rainfall, locally 2 inches or more in 30 to 45 minutes, with isolated pockets seeing 3 to 4 inches in a confined area. A few storms may also kick up gusty winds and drop small hail.
Commute And Local Impacts
Brief but intense downpours can quickly reduce visibility and lead to water ponding on roads, so build in extra travel time and steer clear of low-lying spots that tend to collect runoff. Check RTD before heading out for any service alerts, and be ready for slow going and potentially flooded stretches on key arterials this evening.
Weekend Outlook And Context
Rain chances should wind down overnight, with another round of storms possible on Wednesday before drier weather settles in later in the week. Heat is expected to build back in for the weekend, with highs pushing into the upper 90s. For more background on the pattern and earlier coverage of the coming heat and storm window, see our previous report coming heat and storm window, as per Hoodline.
What To Do
Never drive through flooded roadways; turn around, do not drown, and move to higher ground if water starts rising near your home. Keep phones charged, shift outdoor plans indoors if storms develop nearby, and stay tuned to local alerts for updates on road closures and any official warnings or changes through the evening.
