Rains Pummel Front Range

Listen Now
1min 45sec
Outside the Incident Command Center in Manitou Springs Thursday afternoon, in between rain storms.
Credit Andrea Chalfin
Outside the Incident Command Center in Manitou Springs Thursday afternoon, in between rain storms.

A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for the Waldo Canyon burn area until 8:30 PM Thu 09/12/13.

Officials have their eyes to the sky as heavy rains continue to hit much of the Front Range.  Manitou Springs has had an Incident Command Center open off and on since 9:00 last night.  The ICC is open again this afternoon as officials stay ready for more rain.

Despite heavy rains, most of the town was spared damages last night and this morning.  Manitou Springs spokesman Dave Hunting says they’re monitoring the weather and could be watching for floods throughout the weekend.

The ground is saturated and just won’t hold any more moisture or water, so any additional rain that we have is just insult to injury.

The National Weather Service currently predicts an 80% chance of rain in Manitou Springs tonight, with a 50-60% chance through the weekend.Colorado Springs emergency responders retrieved the body of 54-year old Danny Davis from Fountain Creek this morning. City officials also closed Garden of the Gods Park as a precaution. 

The National Weather Service in Boulder says as of this morning, that northern city has received nearly 10 inches of rain this month.  Some flooded areas around the Front Range have been declared disaster areas by Governor John Hickenlooper.  And the state has asked for emergency disaster declaration from the federal government as well to get extra resources.  Hickenlooper says it should just be a formality given the widespread destruction.

I mean how many bridges and culverts and homes, we’ve got waste water facilities, we’ve got all kinds of, I mean it’s going to take us awhile to rebuild from this without question. 

The governor says his office is working to get that disaster declaration to the President’s desk as soon as possible.For more on what's happening in Northern Colorado, visit our partners, KUNC or KGNU.