Evacuations ordered for 'extreme' flood threat in southern Colorado

Lauren Penington, The Denver Post on Oct 22, 2026

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DENVER — Residents living along several southern Colorado rivers were ordered to evacuate on Thursday afternoon amid a severe flood threat, Archuleta County officials said.

“LEAVE IMMEDIATELY,” the alert stated. “Danger is imminent and life-threatening. If you choose to ignore this order, emergency services may not be able to assist you.”

The Archuleta County evacuations include residents living in low-lying or flood-prone areas near the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra rivers. County officials said the flooding threat was “extreme” and that residents should take immediate action.

Impacted residents should check in at the evacuation center at the Archuleta County Department of Human Services building, 550 Hot Springs Blvd. in Pagosa Springs, the alert stated.

Severe thunderstorms were expected across southwestern Colorado on Thursday, prompting additional warnings from the National Weather Service.

“If you plan to travel over the mountain passes in south central and southwest Colorado (on Thursday), please use extreme caution,” weather service forecasters wrote in a hazardous weather outlook.

As of 2:45 p.m. Thursday, active severe weather alerts from the weather service included:

— Severe thunderstorm watches for Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, San Juan and San Miguel counties until 9 p.m. Thursday. Tornadoes, up to 70 mph winds and ping-pong-ball-sized hail will be possible.

— Flash flood warnings for Archuleta, Montrose and San Miguel counties until 3:30 p.m. Thursday. Thunderstorms are expected to produce life-threatening flash floods, including Norwood, Sawpit, Placerville and Fall Creek.

— Flood warnings for Archuleta, Hinsdale, La Plata, Ouray, San Juan and San Miguel counties until midnight Thursday, including near Telluride, Mountain Village, Ouray, Ophir, Camp Bird, Black Bear Pass and Red Mountain Pass, as well as along Vallecito Creek, La Plata River, San Juan River, Navajo River and Animas River.“Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen over the last 24 hours, so any heavy rainfall on already saturated areas could result in rockslides or mudslides in already steep terrain,” the alert stated.

— Flood watches for the Rio Grande Valley, San Juan Mountains, Four Corners area, Animas River Basin, Uncompahgre Plateau and San Juan River Basin through Friday morning.

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