A belt of moisture coming northward out of Mexico will produce scattered heavythunderstorms through a sizable portion of the Rocky Mountain region Friday.Thunderstorms can be extra dangerous in the mountains for two reasons. First,the country is higher up and closer to where bolts originate, so if you arehiking on high terrain, there is a greater risk that you'll be zapped.
Second, heavy runoff cascades down off the mountainsides increasing the risk offlash flooding in narrow canyons. These flash floods can occur miles away fromwhere the storm is.
Friday, a couple of these storms could drift into Colorado Springs, the site ofthis year's Women's U.S. Open Golf Tournament. A downpour could stop play but abigger fear to the players is lightning. If any lightning is detected in thearea, play will stop and the golfers will leave the course until the stormpasses.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist John Kocet.
