Today’s Forecast:
Today will be the start of a very busy weather pattern with the main concern being extreme fire danger through this evening. Red Flag Warnings will go into effect starting at 10 am, lasting until 9 pm. Wind gusts will be strong today and along with low humidity values, any fires that start could spread quickly. Take extra precautions today to avoid starting any fires. The Plains could also see some blowing dust with how strong these winds will be. Winds will be calm early on but will pick up as we get into the early afternoon. Sustained winds will be between 20-35 mph, with gusts much to 60 mph in some areas.
Once we get into the overnight hours, a cold front will push through, bringing a surge of moisture that will help to calm the fire danger. Cooler temperatures will follow behind the front and bring some precipitation into Friday morning.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 74; Low: 31. Wind speeds will ramp up on Thursday, with gusts around 40-50 mph from late this morning through early this evening. A Red Flag Warning will remain in effect today from 10 am until 9 pm.
Pueblo forecast: High: 81; Low: 34. Although a few degrees cooler than yesterday, our weather today will remain unseasonably warm and very windy, with peak gusts up around 40-50 mph. Red Flag Warnings will remain in effect from 10 am until 9 pm.
Canon City forecast: High: 77; Low: 35. A warm and very windy forecast on Thursday will drive the fire danger threat to critical or extreme levels, with a Red Flag Warning in effect from 10 am until 9 pm.
Woodland Park forecast: High: 64; Low: 23. A multi-faceted storm will bring significant hazards to Teller County over the next 24 to 72 hours, with today's threats focused around high winds and high fire danger. A Red Flag Warning will remain in effect from 10 am until 9 pm.
Tri-Lakes forecast: High: 60s/70s; Low: 20s. Windy and very warm on Thursday, and with gusts approaching 45 mph this afternoon and relative humidity in the single digits, a Red Flag Warning will remain in effect from 10 am until 9 pm.
Plains forecast: High: 70s/80s; Low: 30s. Very strong wind and low relative humidity will bring the potential for critical to extreme fire growth potential to the Plains on Thursday. A Red Flag Warning will include most of the Plains, with the exception of Otero County, Baca County and eastern Las Animas County.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: 60s/70s; Low: 30s. Thursday will be a busy and very windy day for the southern I-25 corridor, with both a Red Flag Warning and a High Wind Warning in effect starting at 10 am. Gusts in Las Animas County will approach 60 mph today, with gusts to 70 mph in Las Animas County.
Mountains forecast: High: 40s/50s; Low: 20s/30s. Thursday's forecast will be windy and mild, with gusts today up around 60-70 mph. Red Flag Warnings have been issued for the southeastern mountains today, in effect from 10 am until 9 pm. A few hours after these Red Flag Warnings expire, a Winter Storm Warning will go into effect starting at 6 am Friday.
Extended outlook forecast:
There are still some uncertainties with this next incoming system, but the current thought is that a spring storm will move in Friday and exit the state by Saturday afternoon. The highest snow totals will be for the mountains. For the Springs, anywhere between 2 and 5 inches, and for Pueblo, they could see anywhere between a Trace to 3 inches. Higher totals can be expected in northern El Paso County and Teller County, with these areas expecting anywhere between 5-12" of accumulation. As snow levels drop as low as 4,500 feet, the most impactful period of snow will be from Friday evening into Saturday morning.
After highs in the 30s and 40s Friday and Saturday, Easter Sunday's forecast will be much nicer, with highs rebounding into the 50s and 60s on the Plains. A warming trend will continue into early next week as mostly sunny skies plus a building ridge of high pressure will push highs back into the 60s and 70s on the Plains.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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