From The Denver Post (Scott Willoughby):
After winter’s late run put spring on ice into May, temperatures in the high country have suddenly spiked, triggering a rise in river levels as a massive meltdown gets underway. The Eagle River below Beaver Creek Resort, for example, rose roughly 1,000 cubic feet per second since the weekend. Below the Eagle’s Confluence with the Colorado, the increase in water flow was more than 1,500 cfs. Similar spikes can be seen on the Yampa, White, Roaring Fork and other freestone rivers across the state…
Although the upper Arkansas River is rising steadily, the promised recreational rafting releases of 700-plus cfs have yet to arrive for the summer and the river has been fishing well. As the snowmelt pushes into late May, however, members of the Arkansas River Outfitter Association say they expect runoff to crank up soon and linger a little longer.
“A key factor that plays out in May just about every year is the changing of the sun angle on the high elevation snowfields,” said Bob Hamel, owner of Arkansas River Tours. “This brings down whatever snow is there, no matter the amount of snow that is present. Of course other factors contribute like wind, dust in the snowpack, etc. Front Range weather is not always indicative of what is occurring up high. That is why we are keenly observant of the high elevation and monitor headwater Snotel sites.”