Tracking Nora: Tropical Storm That's Expected To Become Hurricane Could Bring Big Surge Of Moisture To Colorado

UPDATE: Remains Of Hurricane Nora Could Bring Flash Flood Threat Back To Colorado By Wednesday

DENVER (CBS4) - There is a tropical storm expected to become a hurricane heading for Louisiana. There is also a tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean and that storm could have big implications for Colorado next week.

Tropical Storm Ida was south of Cuba on Friday morning and moving northwest at 15 mph. The storm is forecast to become a hurricane on Saturday and make landfall along the Louisiana coast as a major Category 3 hurricane before moving north into Mississippi on Sunday into Monday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Nora was about 600 miles southeast of Cabo San Lucas and moving northwest at 12 mph on Friday morning. Based on current expected track of the storm, it should reach the southern tip of Baja California near Cabo San Lucas as a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday or Monday.

Nora should then weaken as it moves north along the East Coast of Baja California. But it will continue to contain a lot of moisture that should make its way well inland. Including all the way to Colorado by the first few days of September.

There are still some questions how much moisture from Nora will reach Colorado but it seems very likely that showers and thunderstorms will return to at least the Western Slope and the southern and central mountains starting on probably Wednesday next week.

It could be enough rain to cause flash flooding, mud slides, debris flows, and roadway rockslides again going into Labor Day weekend. The burn scars from recent wildfires will be most susceptible including the Grizzly Creek scar above Glenwood Canyon that caused an extended closure of I-70 earlier this month.

For now, several weather models are suggesting some high country locations west of the Continental Divide could see at least 1-2 inches of rain. At least some of the rain should make it to Denver and the Front Range late next week as well. After about Saturday, September 4, there are indications Colorado could dry out meaning at least the second half of the holiday weekend could be pleasant.