Rivers Expected To Rise As Late April Heatwave Accelerates Snowmelt By Next Weekend

DENVER (CBS4) - A late April heatwave is on the way to Colorado with a string of very warm to hot days expected by the middle of the upcoming week. Temperatures could approach 90 degrees in Denver by Thursday.

The unusually warm weather is expected in the mountains too with many places climbing into the 50s or 60s. Overnight lows will remain above freezing statewide by late next week and that means the annual snowmelt will kick into high gear.

Half of Colorado's eight major river basins still have above normal snowpack. And while the numbers aren't quite as high in the southern basins there is still plenty of snow to melt.

Last year some low-lying areas along rivers in western Colorado experienced flooding in late April due to snowmelt. The current outlook from river forecasters calls for the potential to see bankfull conditions on some streams but no widespread flooding is expected at this time.