Flooding in Colorado. I don’t know how detailed the national news has been because I’ve been watching the local stations. Wall-to-wall coverage of wall-to-wall water. Flooding in low areas across the entire Denver metro, including some homes less than a mile from my house. Flooding in many areas of Broomfield, Boulder, Longmont, Lyons, Estes Park, Jamestown, Allenspark. Dams breaking, roads and highways washed out, towns cut off. Three deaths.
6″-10″ of rain in Boulder in the last 12-24 hours. Denver had 4″-5″ overnight. And two more days of rain in the forecast. Four-day totals are approaching average annual totals.
Lyons is completely cut off with no water, no power. Both highway 34 and 36 into Estes Park are washed out in several places, with flooding in town. They plan to use Trail Ridge Road for evacuations if necessary.
Jamestown got evacuation orders and is now cut off.
Elkhorn Avenue, the main drag in Estes Park where most of the shops are, is flooding. The town is at the junction of two rivers, two mountain drainages. They converge at the west end of the downtown area, putting all the businesses there in the bullseye. The town was planning earlier to release water from the lake and by now has probably done so. That will increase the flooding downstream in Loveland and Lyons/Longmont.
Current report says there is a “wall of water” moving down Boulder Canyon toward Boulder. I can’t reach my brother, who was staying near Boulder Creek in Boulder last night. I assume he’s out helping somewhere with rescues or sandbagging or something. They’ve already had a lot of flooding. CU campus flooding, 40 buildings with damage so far, including some dorms.
Another report says a wall of water is moving down Lefthand Canyon, which also empties into Boulder.
Late report: The Coast Guard is en route to help with rescues! (Two hours later this was corrected to “National Guard.”)
The governor has declared a disaster.
Evacuations in Commerce City, just northeast of downtown Denver.
I’m okay here in Thornton. Good drainage around my house; I’m several blocks up from the nearest low area and creek. (I would never live in a low area anywhere. High ground. Always.) My son lives a mile farther up the same hill, near the top, but his neighbor’s basement (next door on the uphill side) is flooded. Son’s house okay.
Thoughts of foliage tours this year dashed. Sounds like all the roads I would normally drive have been flooded and/or washed out. Probably won’t even be able to get to Estes and Rocky Mountain National Park without going around through Winter Park and Granby and approaching from the west. I haven’t heard any reports about Highway 7, the Peak-to-Peak Highway that enters Estes from the south. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s flooded right where it enters Estes.
Many photos from citizens in the area are being posted by Channel 9. These are a few of the hundreds:
More on Channel 4 and Channel 7 websites.
Denver Post photo gallery here.
And at 1:15 pm, at my house, it’s still raining steadily.
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2 pm: The National Weather Service is now using the adjective “biblical proportions” to describe flooding in the area.
I guess this is the new reality: extreme weather. Floods, mudslides, record wildfires, cool summers, no hurricanes, drought. Goes with the politics, too. Extreme. Continuous religious wars. Chemical weapons. Oil boom. Natural gas boom. Middle East uncertainty. Flags seem permanently at half staff. Government shut-down threats. Russia lecturing us on human rights. Massive security leaks. Recall elections. Dead children in Newtown. Dead children in Syria. Help.
Damn, that’s incredibly depressing when you chunk it all into one paragraph like that. Help!
Stay safe and dry… floods are so devastating…….
Thanks. I’ve no plans to go any farther than the nearest grocery store until this is all over.
From Starry, starry night….. “perhaps they’ll listen now”?
Perhaps who will listen?
Hope you’ve located brother. We’ve been getting pix forwarded from friends’ CU students since yesterday.
Hard to see all the news when you know those streets and buildings
Shiver. Dad always warned never sleep in canyons because of flash floods.
Take care. And thanks (knew you’d come through)
No, still no word from brother. That’s normal for him, but I’d at least like to hear that he’s okay. No answer on either of his phones.
Sounds like brothers
try texts – sometimes those go through when calls won’t?
Fired off a text this morning. I’m sure he’s okay but I’m going to throttle him if he doesn’t tell me that himself.
so typical of brothers!
Let us know when you hear from brother….I’m going to kick in the pants for not calling you!!
Glad you and your son are high and dry! Stay that way…and start building the ark!
Just heard from the brother. All’s well. Of course. Sun’s been shining here for a couple of hours. Maybe I should call Noah and cancel …
So glad brother is ok! Kick him in the pants for me when you see him! I’d keep Noah on stand-by, just in case.
Good grief PT, I finally got around to checking the news. Yikes – I hope you and yours are all okay! 😯
Yep, we’re all good. High and dry. I shouldn’t have mentioned the sun was shining, though. Now it’s clouding up again, getting ready for another round … 🙁
Hey, you added the “like” back. Thanks!
Yeah, despite my snit a while back, I missed it.