Flash Flood Watch: Boulder County, Larimer County

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for the Fourmile burn area in Boulder County as well as the Crystal Fire area in Larimer County. Area soils are expected to become over saturated with rain water possibly leading to mudslides or flooding.

The watch remains in effect all day Wednesday, but with temperatures forecast to fall in the evening resulting in mostly snowfall and little if any additional melting or runoff, according to the National Weather Service warning.

Estes Park, Glendevey, Nederland and Red Feather Lakes are also included in the flood watch.

From the National Weather Service flood watch notice:

Moderate to heavy snowfall will mix with light to moderate rain in the afternoon as temperatures warm slightly. This will also lead to more melting of snow already on the ground. Total liquid equivalent precipitation is expected to range from one inch to one and one half inches. It is uncertain how the soil conditions in the Fourmile burn area are going to respond to today's precipitation. By this afternoon it will be possible that mudslides or debris flows may occur in the Fourmile burn area as soils become fully saturated. Flooding will also be possible due to plugged culverts.

As The Denver Post reports, the entire Front Range area is expected to receive heavy rain and snow fall throughout the day and into the evening with a winter weather advisory posted for the region.

From The Denver Post:

In the mountains, above 8,000 feet in elevation, moderate to heavy snow is expected at times today and some areas could see up to 10 inches of new snow accumulation, the weather service said. A winter weather advisory has been posted for the northern and central mountains and Front Range foothills.