Tonight's Forecast:
A powerful spring storm is approaching southern Colorado. Fire danger will remain elevated this evening. While Red Flag Warnings expire at 8:00 PM, this is mainly due to an increase in humidity levels. It will remain breezy tonight. Winds decrease briefly overnight before strengthening again early tomorrow at 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM. Wind overnight will be strongest in the southern mountains and to the east where a downslope windstorm set up is in place.
The strong winds are due to an area of low pressure that will develop tomorrow morning east of I-25 and move quickly over the eastern plains, deepening rapidly. For more on conditions tomorrow, including how the low will progress and impacts, see the extended forecast.
Friday warnings:
RED FLAG WARNINGS are in effect from 10 am until 6 pm in the counties highlighted in red.
HIGH WIND WARNINGS are in effect tomorrow. They begin at MIDNIGHT for the southern mountains and points east including Trinidad, Walsenburg, and Weston and will be in effect until 3:00 PM. For the other counties shaded in yellow, these warnings begin at 11:00 AM and continue through 7:00 PM.
Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 33; High: 52;
Southwest winds at 10-20 mph, gusting to 30 mph. Winds decrease briefly overnight and start ramping up again by around 5:00 AM on Friday morning. Winds will be strongest west of I-25 overnight - if you're in Rockrimmon or the Air Force Academy, wind will be gusty by 6:00 AM and may impact your morning commute. Winds further ramp up through the day with gusts of 40-55 mph expected and areas of blowing dust. A few snow showers are also possible in the morning. Any snow shower will be accompanied by gusty wind and we will be monitoring for snow squall warnings (a short burst of low visibility conditions due to heavy snow lasting 30-60 minutes combined with strong wind). The best potential for this is in the northern part of town up into the Palmer Divide.
Pueblo forecast: Low: 34; High: 59;
Increasing clouds with southwest winds at 10-20 mph gusting to 35 mph before 11:00PM. Winds decrease briefly overnight before shifting northwest and increasing before dawn Friday. Mostly cloudy skies by morning with wind gusts from 45-55 mph on Friday.
Canon City forecast: Low: 35; High: 55;
Partly cloudy with a spotty rain shower possible. West winds at 10-15 mph gusting to 25 mph until 10:00 PM, then reducing. Winds shift northwest by 4:00 AM Friday, first sustained at 25-35 mph with increasing gusts through the morning. From late morning through late afternoon, gusts of 45-50 mph are expected with an occasional gust to 55 possible.
Woodland Park forecast: Low: 26; High: 43;
Southwest winds at 10-20 mph gusting to 40 mph until 11:00 PM. Winds shift northwest by 3:00 AM. By 7:00 AM, wind gusts of 25-35 mph are expected. Gusts increase to 45-55 mph by early afternoon eventually peaking with gusts at 55-65 mph. A period of snow - heavy briefly - is likely tomorrow morning between 7:00AM - 9:00 AM. Otherwise, partly cloudy skies early becoming mostly cloudy by morning and remaining mostly cloudy through the day.
Tri-Lakes forecast: Low: 31; High: 47;
Partly cloudy becoming mostly cloudy overnight with southwest winds at 10-20 mph. Tomorrow, winds will be northwest at 25-35 mph gusting to 55 mph. Snow showers are expected during the morning commute from approximately 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM, heavy briefly. They won't last long but will create some impacts from low visibility during the late portions of the commute combined with the gusty winds.
Plains forecast: Low: 30s; High: 50s-60s;
HIGH WIND WARNING in effect from 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM FRIDAY.
Mostly clear skies with southwest winds early. Northwest winds on Friday at 25-45 mph gusting 60-70 mph producing blowing dust and capable of causing damage. A few rain showers are possible.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: Low: 33/32; High: 50/53;
HIGH WIND WARNING in effect from 12:00 AM - 3:00 PM Friday.
RED FLAG WARNING in effect from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday.
West winds at 10-20 mph gusting to 45 mph before midnight. Winds increase overnight and will become very strong by the morning commute. Sustained winds will increase to 30-50 mph, gusting to 70-80 mph. Blowing dust through the day.
Mountains forecast: Low: 20s; High: 40s;
Increasing clouds with occasional snow showers. West winds at 25-35 mph gusting to 65 mph.
Extended outlook forecast:
Fire Weather Warnings resume tomorrow as a surface low rapidly deepens over the eastern plains in response to the movement of an upper level low off of the mountains. This rapid cyclogenesis will lead to very strong winds Friday out of the northwest. High Wind Warnings go into effect tonight at midnight in the southern Sangre De Cristo mountains, and at 11:00 AM tomorrow over the eastern plains. Over the mountain tops of the Sangres and directly east, 100 mph wind gusts are expected with this system. Snow showers are possible over the Palmer Divide tomorrow with this system. The low will rapidly move eastward through the day out of the area, but winds remain strong due to the strong pressure gradient in place along with upper level energy.
High Fire Danger will again be a concern within Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and the southern I-25 corridor. Humidity will be slightly higher Friday than it was today, but wind speeds will also be stronger. Because our fuels are already very dry, the marginal increase in atmospheric humidity is unlikely to majorly dent fire danger, with the strong wind being a bigger driver of risk potential. Avoid outdoor burning and other activities that could generate sparks.
The weekend will be quiet after the system moves out. Seasonable conditions on Saturday, with a warm-up on Sunday. We're tracking more high fire danger early next week peaking on Monday ahead of a system that could bring much of the area at least some accumulating snow Tuesday into Wednesday.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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