Marty’s Saturday Morning Forecast, Windy & Warm Early, Then… 5/8/2021
Overview: The cold season just does not want to let go, and after a warm and windy start to the weekend, another period of chilly air, rain and snow is expected.
Today: Windy and quickly warming this morning under a partly cloudy sky. Conditions will become favorable for the spread of wildfires over the San Luis Valley where a Fire Weather Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Pueblo starting at 11:00 AM. We expect sustained windspeeds of 15 to 25 mph this afternoon with gusts routinely over 30 mph over much of the area.
Colder air will move over the area from the north during the middle and late afternoon hours, and along and behind this cold front we expect scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop. Over the plains the strongest storms could approach severe criteria with strong wind gusts over 60 mph and damaging hail over an inch in diameter the primary threats, but we cannot rule out an isolated tornado either. This threat looks greatest along and north of the Arkansas River. High temperatures will reach the 70s and 80s along the I-25 corridor, 80s to near 90 for the plains, with 60s to lower 70s for our local mountain communities and for the southern valleys. The air will turn significantly colder from north to south as the cold front passes and showers and thunderstorms develop.
Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms will move east leaving more spotty and lighter showers behind this evening. Late tonight scattered areas of precipitation could begin to pick up again, and at times some wet snow could fall over the higher terrain in the Pikes Peak Region, but we do not expect significant accumulations of snow tonight. By morning, the air should have cooled into the 30s and 40s area wide.
Mother’s Day: Well, it doesn’t look like a great day to be planting any flowers, not that doing so is ever actually safe for many plants this early in the year, but it’s a nice thought… Mostly cloudy and cold with periods of rain and snow depending on your elevation. Snow could accumulate lightly on the cooler surfaces above about 7,000 ft in elevation, but roadways will likely remain mostly wet. High temperatures are only expected to reach the 30s and 40s for most areas, although some areas along and south of the Arkansas River should warm into the 50s to near 60.
Extended: Monday looks mostly cloudy and cold with more rain and snow across the area. There is a chance that a more significant snowfall could occur later Monday into Tuesday morning on the higher terrain around the Pikes Peak Region and possibly over some mountain areas west/southwest of Pueblo. Enough cold air and instability looks to remain over the area to keep scattered showers going through Wednesday as the air warms slowly. Much warmer air should work over the area starting Thursday.
