Marty’s Sunday Morning Forecast – Windy, Fire Weather Concerns – 3/4/2018
Today: We’re tracking a cold front that will bring snow to the high country and wind to the rest of Colorado today. We will warm to near our high temperatures quickly this morning, but we won’t get quite as warm as we were yesterday, and the air will cool from west to east with increasing clouds during the afternoon. Conditions will again become favorable for the spread of wildfires and so the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Pueblo has again issued a Red Flag Warning for all areas along and east of the I-25 corridor for today, including our local mountain areas. We expect high temperatures over lower elevations along I-25 to reach the 50s and 60s by around lunch time, but fall back into the 40s and 50s late this afternoon. Our local mountain communities should reach the 40s today, but fall back into the 30s later this afternoon. The far eastern plains should warm into the 70s again. The wind will be the primary weather story for today and as the air cools this afternoon it’ll feel chilly for some areas. We expect the wind to increase quickly this morning to between 15 and 30 mph. Wind gusts over 40 mph should become pretty common during the afternoon hours with peak gusts near 60 mph possible over and near the mountains to the southwest of Pueblo where a High Wind Warning is in effect for the Sangre De Cristo mountains. Wind driven snow should lead to winter driving conditions over the mountains along and west of the Continental Divide starting this afternoon, mainly in the northern half of the state, and in these areas Winter Weather Advisories are in effect. It’s possible that a few flakes, or brief, intermittent snow showers could develop over our local mountain communities late in the day, but we do not expect any widespread, significant snowfall over these areas.
Tonight: If spotty snow showers have developed over our local mountain areas they will end quickly this evening, then mostly clear overnight. Although the strongest wind gusts should subside this evening, many areas will continue to be pretty windy overnight. We’ll be colder by morning with low temperatures in the 20s for the plains, mainly teens over the mountains.
Extended: The first half of the work week will be cooler with high temperatures mainly in the 40s to lower 50s for the plains and 30s over the mountains. The wind won’t be as strong on Monday, but we expect a blustery day. The wind shouldn’t be as noticeable Tuesday & Wednesday. Becoming breezy and warmer again starting Thursday with high temperatures back into the 50s and 60s for the plains. Friday & Saturday look windy and warm.
