Predictions of heavy rains may lead to flood watches for several days after one was declared Tuesday.
Well probably be doing the same thing tomorrow and the next day we did today, declaring a flood watch from about noon to 9 p.m., John Kyle, data-acquisition program manager at the Grand Junction office of the National Weather Service, said Tuesday night.
Tuesdays flood watch covered an area that included Southwest Colorado from the eastern edge of Archuleta County north almost to Grand Junction and west into south-central Utah up to the Interstate 70 corridor. Northwestern New Mexico was under a flood advisory during the same time period.
Were still looking at a mostly southerly flow with heavy rains still real possible, Kyle said. We see a good string of moisture coming through the week, including Saturday, Sunday, Monday, even Tuesday.
The area near Norwood experienced the biggest consequence from Tuesdays rains. Colorado Highway 145 between Norwood and Telluride was closed by a mudslide at about 3 p.m., according to a news release from the Colorado Department of Transportation. San Miguel County spokeswoman Jennifer Dinsmore said rocks and debris about 4 feet high slid onto the road, but no cars were trapped, and no one was injured. The mudslide occurred about three miles east of Norwood.
Midwest Rockfall Inc., which was working on CDOTs ongoing rockfall mitigation on Norwood Hill, was first on the scene and was able to clear one lane of traffic within an hour. Debris from a second flood at mile marker 93 also covered the road. CDOT maintenance crews had finished clearing the road by about 5 p.m., when it was fully reopened.
Dinsmore said the soil is saturated from heavy rains over the last few days.
Up by Ouray was also affected, Kyle said. They got three-tenths of an inch yesterday and a little under an inch today. Those little basins that come down from the canyon overflowed and flowed across (U.S. Highway) 550. With a little bit today and a little bit tomorrow, thats not going to get better.
The weather service said small hail and gusty winds up to 50 mph are possible during these afternoon and evening storms. Motorists are asked not to drive into areas where water covers the road because the water may be too deep to cross safely.
[email protected] The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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