Tonight's Forecast:
Weakening wind and rising relative humidity will allow for a small break in fire danger as Red Flag Warnings should be allowed to expire by 8 pm. Overnight wind gusts in the area where the 403 Fire is burning will be around 15-25 mph.
Temperature wise tonight...we're looking at 30s and a few lower 40s for the Plains and Arkansas River Valley, with 10s and 20s on tap for the mountains and mountain valleys.
Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 34; High: 70; The warm-up continues on Sunday as we're expecting what could be the second 70 degree day of the year in Colorado Springs. Even though it will feel pleasant outside, windy and dry weather will return by the afternoon, with a Red Flag Warning in effect from 11 am to 10 pm.
Pueblo forecast: Low: 31; High: 75; Warm and windy, with a Red Flag Warning in effect for all of Pueblo County from 11 am until 10 pm. Peak gusts to 40 mph will be possible by the afternoon.
Canon City forecast: Low: 40; High: 71; Fremont County will be warm and windy on Sunday, but thanks to slightly high humidity levels, we are not expecting widespread Red Flag Warning conditions. That said, peak afternoon gusts of 40-45 mph will be possible.
Woodland Park forecast: Low: 30; High: 58; Red Flag Warnings will return to Teller County on Sunday, and this is a long duration one, going from 11 am until 10 pm. Peak wind gusts in Teller County could exceed 40-45 mph during the afternoon and early evening hours.
Tri-Lakes forecast: Low: 30s; High: 60s; Dry and windy weather will continue to be the main story across El Paso County on Sunday, with a Red Flag Warning in effect from 11 am until 10 pm. Peak wind gusts along and near the Palmer Divide will be around 35 mph.
Plains forecast: Low: 30s/40s; High: 70s/80s; The downslope westerly flow will bring the Plains of southeastern Colorado a very warm and windy end to the weekend. With relative humidity in the single digits and teens, and 30-40 mph wind gusts, fire danger will remain high.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: Low: 30s/40s; High: 60s/70s; Warm, downslope winds will cause more high fire danger concerns for the southern I-25 corridor on Sunday. Red Flag Warning conditions can be expected from 11 am until 10 pm.
Mountains forecast: Low: 10s/20s; High: 30s/40s; With wind gusts in excess of 40-50 mph in the mountains and mountain valleys on Sunday, any existing snow on the ground is likely to get blown around, reducing visibility for drivers in these areas.
Extended outlook forecast:
An uptick in the wind on Monday could bring a near repeat performance of those dangerous fire weather conditions that we saw on Friday to Southern Colorado. Very dry air and 50-60 mph wind gusts will need to be watched closely as it could hamper firefighting efforts at the 403 Fire and for any new fire starts that occur between now and then.
A cold front Monday night will bring about a mid-week pattern change, with moisture increasing and the potential for a few rain and snow showers on Tuesday. Another potential disturbance could bring a few more showers to the forecast on Thursday. While snow chances for the Plains aren't overly exciting at this point, the added moisture should add least temper the high fire danger.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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