Flood watch covers the Four Corners from Wednesday to Friday

The National Weather Service has put a flood watch in effect from Wednesday afternoon through Friday morning for parts of southwest Colorado and southeast Utah, including the Four Corners and Upper Dolores River area. Montezuma County reshared the bulletin on its Facebook page at 11:16 a.m. Tuesday.

Graphic: Cortez Current. Source: National Weather Service bulletin reshared by Montezuma County

Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible, the bulletin says. The Colorado areas it names are the Animas River Basin, the Four Corners and Upper Dolores River, the San Juan River Basin, and the Southwest San Juan Mountains. On the Utah side it names Arches and Grand Flat, Canyonlands and Natural Bridges, the La Sal and Abajo mountains, and southeast Utah.

Excessive runoff may flood rivers, creeks, streams, recently burned areas and other low-lying and flood-prone places, according to the bulletin, and storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris.

On timing, the weather service says strong thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rain could develop Wednesday afternoon, followed by widespread moderate to heavy rainfall from a surge of tropical moisture Wednesday night through Friday morning.

A watch is not a warning. The weather service issues a flood watch when conditions make flooding possible, and a flood warning when flooding is happening or about to; its bulletin tells people to monitor later forecasts and to “be alert for possible Flood Warnings.” Anyone living where water collects should be ready to act if flooding develops, it says.

Active weather service watches and warnings for Cortez, Dolores, Mancos, Towaoc, Lewis and Pleasant View appear at the top of every page on this site while they are in effect.

Sources: National Weather Service flood safety · Montezuma County on Facebook