Wetter Weather on the Way to the Rockies and Plains as Weekend Ends

The chance of flash flooding will increase across the Rockies and into the southern Plains next week as a new wave of moisture moves into the region. Here is what you can expect in this part of the country in the days ahead.

Rainy Pattern Setting Up Across the Central and Southern Plains to Close Out the Weekend

The hot and dry weather pattern that has been in place across the central and southern Plains will start to dissipate in the coming week, providing relief to the parched landscape but also raising the risk of flash flooding concerns.

The noticeable change in the weather will begin to take shape on Sunday. Forecasters are detailing that the zone of high pressure that has been parked over the Midwest lately will bring up a flow of moisture from the northwestern Gulf, boosting the odds of rain throughout the central and southern Plains states.

The threat of thunderstorms could pop up as far west as Utah, Nevada, and eastern California. However, the majority of the significant rounds of rain will fall in areas to the east.

Energy pulsating off the Colorado Rockies will fuel the development of heavy rain and storms in an area stretching from eastern Colorado and over into parts of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. These threats will begin to take shape late Sunday. The line of storms is forecast to move into the eastern portions of Oklahoma and western Arkansas throughout the night before weakening on Monday.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are a possibility with this weather maker. The greatest concentration of heavy rain is forecast for the border of Kansas and Oklahoma. This part of the Plains could pick up to 2 to 3 inches of rain before the system is done dumping.

Another zone of torrential form is likely along the busy Interstate 25 corridor stretching from Denver and into Pueblo, Colorado. This area also includes the Colorado Springs metropolitan area. Another wave of rain is on tap for Tuesday for portions of the Rockies.

Diving into the specific forecast for Colorado Springs, this city at the base of the Rockies is forecast to see the rain and storms pick up late Sunday. The region will be under a persistent risk of thunderstorm action throughout the day on Monday and Tuesday. The temperatures will fall at this time, topping out with highs in the mid to upper 60s. While the regular rain and storm activity will begin to lift by the middle of the week, the threat will still linger to some degree.

Looking Ahead to the Middle of the Week

Looking ahead to the middle of the week, forecasters are warning that a long-lasting flood threat is likely to develop on Wednesday as moisture coming up from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf work in tandem to generate heavy bands of rain. Wednesday's forecast is calling for rain to fall over a greater swath of land. For instance, areas to the east that dodged the rain showers on Sunday and Monday will likely get caught in the crosshairs of the moisture machine later in the week.

As is typical, the communities that experience rain on repeat over multiple days will be under the greatest threat of flooding. Parts of the Plains that have been particularly dry as of late will be at the highest risk of flooding issues. This is because dry ground has a harder time absorbing a sudden influx of precipitation, increasing the chances of runoff and flooding.

We will continue to monitor this situation as the week progresses. The latest long-range forecast is predicting that a mass of drier air will move across the Plains just in time for the Labor Day weekend.

While more rain and thunderstorms are a good possibility after the holiday weekend for the Plains, the models do not suggest that the rainfall amounts will rival what is expected this week. Stay tuned as this situation continues to develop.

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