Today’s Forecast:
Saturday will be cold in southern Colorado, but warmer than Friday with highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s. We'll be anywhere from 2-15 degrees below average temperature wise. Highs will be warmer the higher in elevation you are - with the Palmer Divide in the upper 40s this afternoon, while the Arkansas River Valley remains in the 30s. Polar air masses are dense - imagine throwing a coin into the water - so they sink towards lower elevations.
Winds will be light from the south at 10-15 mph during the afternoon. This is a warm wind direction for us, and is partly responsible for our warming temperatures today. More clouds than sun in the sky today a few peaks of late PM sun. Moisture from a pacific atmospheric river system will reach us in southern Colorado - but only in the form of mid-level clouds, with snow energy and moisture remaining west of the continental divide and resulting in snow showers for them beginning this evening.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 39; Low: 23.
Partly sunny with southerly winds at 10 mph. About 15 degrees warmer than yesterday but still a few degrees below average.
Pueblo forecast: High: 36; Low: 20.
Partly sunny with east winds at 10 mph. We'll still have the arctic air in place, the lower you are, the colder your highs today will be in the Arkansas River Valley.
Canon City forecast: High: 45; Low: 29.
Partly sunny with light winds - it's a nice crisp January Saturday...get outside at some point and enjoy it if you can!
Woodland Park forecast: High: 46; Low: 25.
Partly sunny with southwest winds at 10 mph - a comfortable afternoon by January standards in Teller county.
Tri-Lakes forecast: High: 40s; Low: 20s.
Partly sunny with south winds at 10-15 mph - a good day for a walk around Palmer Lake!
Plains forecast: High: 20s/30s; Low: Teens.
Partly sunny with southeast winds at 10-20 mph. Due to being at a lower elevation, the arctic air will linger for you with wind chills in the teens to low 20s during the day.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: 49/46; Low: 30/28.
Partly sunny with southwest winds at 10 mph. Quite pleasant this afternoon with a fall/spring-like feel in the air.
Mountains forecast: High: 30s/40s; Low: 20s/30s.
Partly sunny with southwest winds at 10 mph. Stay avalanche aware: avalanche risk is still elevated for many of our mountain regions. Relatively lower risk for the Sangre de Cristo mountains and southern Front Range - but conditions are still such that if you encounter deep snow on slopes of 30 degrees or greater, you should only proceed if you've taken avalanche safety courses.
Extended outlook forecast:
Temperatures continue up the incline on Sunday, into the low to 50s as our airflow shifts to a dry, downslope southwesterly direction. This flow will be on the light side, and clouds from the pacific system will preclude a stronger warm-up. Nonetheless, Sunday will feel great by January standards and is a solid outdoor day. A stray rain or snow shower is possible Monday afternoon along the I-25 corridor as upper level energy crosses the continental divide providing lift for showers. They won't be that impactful, with Woodland Park more likely to see longer duration, but still light, snow.
Several weak pieces of energy move over us early in the week, keeping clouds in our sky and temperatures near climate normals. Several storm systems will track to our south. Stronger energy arrives at the end of the weak but as is often the case, the current trend keeps the energy too far south, and moisture too far east, to make it a big deal other than cooling temperatures a bit further.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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