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Ready for monsoon season in Colorado? Mike Nelson says it's about to begin

Ready for monsoon season in Colorado? Mike Nelson says it's about to begin
Posted at 9:57 PM, Jul 07, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-07 23:58:07-04

DENVER – After a mild winter and what’s shaping up to be one warm summer, some refreshing news: monsoon season is about to begin in Colorado.

The annual flow of moisture from the tropics that comes from Mexico to Arizona and into Colorado, typically begins in mid-July and lasts through August.

Monsoon storms tend to slow-moving, heavy-rain makers that develop into the mountains and drop down into the plains, bringing beneficial moisture in the mid-to-late summer, according to First Alert Weather Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson.

The storms usually don’t produce large hail or tornadoes, but you will more than likely see intense lightning shows and very heavy rain.

So the big question is: When can we expect for monsoon to begin here in Colorado?

Nelson says the summer monsoon season will probably start later next week, give or take Friday.

“This should aid the fire situation in the mountains and ease dryness on the Front Range,” Nelson said.

Some advice for outdoor enthusiasts

If you’re going to be out and about enjoying our beautiful state, keep in mind that monsoon season brings a daily downpour in the mountains – and you don’t want to be up high when the rainfall starts coming your way. Lightning is a real danger this time of year, and heavy rain can cause localized flooding.

Hikers, golfers and other outdoor enthusiasts should watch the skies by mid-afternoon and get off the higher elevations as soon as they spot signs of a storm coming.

In the city, these storms could sometimes drop an inch or two of water within an hour, so you probably want to cut on watering your plants when a monsoon storm hits Denver.

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