A slow-moving, low-pressure system is making its way across Southwest Colorado and leaving behind some welcome precipitation. And although the system is too late to be considered a winter storm and too early to be a monsoon, it is nonetheless seasonally appropriate, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist.
The storm so far has left between 0.4 inches and 0.8 inches of rain in the Animas River Basin, said Meteorologist Tom Renwick on Monday, and between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches around Cortez, where April was another unusually dry month.
“This is not unusual,” Renwick said. “… If you look at how much rainfall we get, or SWE (snow-water equivalent), there’s always a little blip in May.”
Steady rains continued through Tuesday, before unsettled patterns move through the region Wednesday and Thursday. The storm is collecting moisture from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico (which President Donald Trump recently renamed the Gulf of America), Renwick said.
After a disappointing winter, the moisture is welcome news in La Plata County, most of which is in D2 severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Intermittent heavy rains have law enforcement concerned about driving conditions.
“Storms often reduce visibility for motorists, so you need to ensure that your headlights, taillights and turn signals are functioning and being used,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol in a news release. “If your wipers are skipping, smearing, or just not clearing the windshield like they used to, it’s time for you to replace them. You can only avoid road damage, pedestrians and other vehicles you can see.”
rschafir@durangoherald.com
