Manitou Springs was spared from flash flooding on August 22 and 23 as extended warnings were called off at 12:04 a.m. August 23.
A wave of water was moving through the Colorado city in Fountain Creek, which was close to overflowing, but never seemed to.
Flooding did happen but was much less significant than was feared.
Between 0.10 and 0.40 inches of rain fell over the Waldo Canyon burn scar between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m but significantly slowed down or stopped after that.
Officials were preparing for the worst after the town was hit hard by heavy flooding less than three weeks ago.
At one point the National Weather Service said it was “a very dangerous life-threatening situation,” the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office warned people that rushing water was approaching the town and that people should seek higher ground, and downtown Manitou Springs was been shut down and barricaded.
An evacuation center was open at 1st Congregational Church on 103 Pawnee Road but closed after the flash flood warning was called off.
The flash flood warning included Colorado Springs, Cascade, Chipita Park, Crystola, and Green Mountain Falls.
2 to 6 inches of rain fell across much of El Paso County.
Runoff happens a lot easier on burn scars, since it doesn’t have much vegetation.
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