Flash Flooding In Boulder: How To Prepare

BOULDER, CO — Boulderites can expect showers and thunderstorms over the Memorial Day weekend, which will increase the risk of flash flooding.

Boulder's location at the base of the Rocky Mountain Foothills, combined with the Boulder Creek location, make the city the highest risk area for flash flooding in Colorado, the city said.

Find your property's flood risk with this interactive map.

"Flash flood risks in Boulder can be especially deceptive—it doesn’t have to be raining or even cloudy in the city for rain to be falling over the foothills and funneling through the canyons, down into Boulder," read a post on CU Boulder Today.

If a flash flood warning is issued in the city, stay away from creeks, drains, ditches ravines and culverts, and climb to higher ground. Don't walk or drive in flood waters, and follow emergency response orders, the city said.

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If the city is at risk of flooding, the National Weather Service Boulder office will send out an alert:

• A Flood Watch will be issued on days when flooding is more likely on a river or large creek. A Flood Watch means flooding in the area is more likely than on a normal day, but that flooding is not currently expected.
• A Flood Warning will be issued when flooding is forecast or occurring. A Flood Warning means flooding is expected or has been reported at designated river forecast points.
• Flood Advisories may be issued for minor flooding on rivers and creeks.
• Areal Flood Warnings may be issued for flooding on parts of rivers or large creeks not covered by designated river forecast points.

The agency created the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service monitoring system to monitor potential flooding along rivers and large creeks in Colorado.

>> Read more about how to prepare for flooding in Boulder here.