Denver easily broke a record for daily rainfall Thursday. The city had 1.93 inches of rain, measured at Denver International Airport as of 5 p.m., eclipsing the previous daily mark for May 11 of 1.55 inches, set in 2011.
Since the start of the stormy weather Wednesday, Denver has received has received 2.65 inches of rain, as of 6 p.m. Thursday, measured at Denver International Airport. That’s 18.3% of Denver’s annual total of 14.48 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
“We’ve been getting a lot of rain,” said Bob Kleyla, a meteorologist with the weather service in Boulder. “And those numbers will only go up. We’re getting more rain” to end the day Thursday.
The continuing, steady rain, sometimes heavy, in the metro area caused road damage in Cherry Creek State Park, and the banks of Cherry Creek flooded at Sixth Avenue and Speer Boulevard and along other additional spots. In a repeat of Wednesday’s stormy weather, a tornado warning was posted Thursday on the Eastern Plains for the town of Arapahoe, which is in Cheyenne County. A tornado warning was also posted for the area around Holyoke earlier Thursday, and a landspout was spotted in Sedgwick County. Pea-size hail was reported on the plains.
Several roads in Adams County closed because of flooding and damage, including 26th Avenue between Yulle and Wolf Creek roads and 64th Avenue between Piggott and Wolf Creek roads. Arapahoe County also shut down roads for safety concerns because of high water and flooding, including County Road 30 from County Road 137 to County Road 149 and County Road 145 from Colorado 36 to County Road 6.
A widespread area of northeastern Colorado, including Denver, is on a flood watch through Friday morning. Areas expected to experience flooding of low-lying areas, streams and creeks include Denver, southwestern Aurora, Centennial, eastern Littleton, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Sheridan, Cherry Hills Village, Foxfield and Cherry Creek Reservoir, according to a weather service flood advisory.
Rain was expected to continue overnight in the metro area, with possible thunderstorms and downpours at times, according to the weather service. Rain is likely into Friday afternoon, before it tappers off, but precipitation could continue in the form of showers.
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