Today’s Forecast:
High fire danger and strong winds are the main story in southern Colorado today. With a strong jet stream moving overhead and sunny skies, our upper-level winds will mix down to the surface, leading to a gusty afternoon. We'll start the day with a few high clouds, but overall, mainly sunny skies are on tap. Dry air + Meanwhile, a large upper-level low over the Pacific Northwest is moving east with the Jet Stream moving with it. By Saturday afternoon, winds at about 30,000 feet - the height commercial airliners fly at - will be about 100 mph over us. As that air mixes down toward the ground, winds will ramp up. In the morning, winds gust from 15-25 mph. By 1 PM, they gust 25-35 mph. By evening, we're talking 40-50 mph gusts as upper level energy arrives and enhances wind speeds. With the dry, downslope southwesterly winds, highs today will climb to the mid to upper 60s across the area. The jet stream continues to strengthen this evening into tomorrow morning, with winds increasing all day.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 66; Low: 34.
RED FLAG WARNING in effect from 10 AM - 8 PM
Mostly sunny with areas of blowing dust. Southwest winds at 10-15 mph before noon, increasing to 20-30 mph after noon with gusts to 50 mph.
Pueblo forecast: High: 71; Low: 40.
RED FLAG WARNING in effect from 10 AM - 8 PM
HIGH WIND WARNING in effect from 8 PM SAT - 8 PM SUN
Mostly sunny with patchy blowing dust. Southwest winds 10-15 mph gusting to 35 mph before noon, increasing to 20-30 mph gusting to 55 mph after noon.
Canon City forecast: High: 67; Low: 39.
Sunny with southwest winds at 20-30 mph during the afternoon.
Woodland Park forecast: High: 55; Low: 26.
Sunny with southwest winds at 15 - 30 mph increasing to 25-35 mph after noon with gusts to 55 mph.
Tri-Lakes forecast: High: 60s; Low: Upper 20s.
RED FLAG WARNING in effect from 10 AM - 8PM
Mostly sunny, with southwest winds at 10 - 15 mph increasing to 20 - 30 mph gusting to 45 mph during the afternoon.
Plains forecast: High: 70s; Low: 30s.
RED FLAG WARNING in effect from 10 AM - 8 PM
Sunny with southwest winds at 15-25 mph, gusting to 40 mph.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: 62/65; Low: 40.
RED FLAG WARNING in effect from 10 AM - 8 PM
HIGH WIND WARNING in effect from 8 PM SAT - 8 PM SUN
Mostly sunny, with west winds at 15 -25 mph gusting to 45 mph during the morning, turning southwest and increasing to 25 - 35 mph gusting to 65 mph during the afternoon.
Mountains forecast: High: 40s; Low: 20s.
HIGH WIND WARNING in effect from 8 PM SAT - 8 PM SUN
Sunny with southwest winds at 25-35 mph gusting to 65 mph.
Extended outlook forecast:
Strong winds continue Sunday morning, with a few rain and snow showers north of Highway 50. The best show for snow will be in the northern half of Colorado Springs, the Palmer Divide, and in Teller and Freemont counties - Woodland Park and Canon City. Snow will accumulate in these areas in the AM. Woodland Park should get a quick 2-4" with Monument picking up 1-3". In Manitou Springs, and Broadmoor expect a trace to an inch.
These will be hit or miss showers with generally low impacts, but could make for some slippery travel on Sunday morning. Clouds decrease in the afternoon with another windy day - winds gust from 35-45 mph during the afternoon. north of Highway 50, with a High Wind Warning in place along and south of Highway 50 where winds may gust to 75 mph - strongest in the southern mountains. In Pueblo, winds gust to 65 mph. A cold front arrives late in the day and provides another weak shower chance - mainly over the Palmer Divide, Teller county, and the northern edge of Colorado Springs with low impacts. The bigger story is that the front reduces our wind speeds and temperatures Monday. Highs Sunday will be a bit cooler than Saturday in the mid to upper 50s.
A couple of quiet days begin the week Monday and Tuesday before
For the first half of the work week, temperatures will be seasonable in the upper 40s to low 50s, with light breezes. Unsettled weather returns late in the week.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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