Latest storm to bring even more rain, mountain snow

A strong Pacific storm system will bring rain and snow to the mountains and showers to the Front Range Wednesday, the National Weather Service said tonight.

In the high country, winter-like weather and flood advisories could linger through Saturday, and a winter weather advisory is in effect for parts of southern Colorado above 10,000 feet until 6 a.m. Friday. Those areas could see an additional 10 inches of snow atop and already record snowpack.

Areas above 9,000 feet elevation could see 3 to 6 inches of new snow Wednesday, forecasters said.

The Denver metro area has a 60 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and an 80 percent chance of showers in the evening, forecasters said.

Rain chances linger at 60 percent Thursday and 30 percent Friday, with a slight chance or precipitation Saturday and Sunday with high temperatures in the upper 60s, according to the forecast.

Another Pacific storm could bring more moisture to Colorado early next week, according to the National Weather Service.

With two weeks left in the month, Denver has already exceeded its average rainfall for May with 2.57 inches so far. Denver averages 2.42 inches, making this the city's rainiest month on average.

The wettest May on record in Denver was in 1876, when the city received 8.57 inches, according to National Weather Service data.

Because of prolonged winter storms in the high country, Colorado's statewide snowpack was at 163 percent of its 30-year average, including 190 percent in the Colorado River basin and 185 percent in the basins of the Yampa and White rivers in northwest Colorado and 183 percent in the South Platte basin.