Marty’s Saturday Morning Forecast – Windy & Cooler – 4/16/2022
Overview: We're tracking cooler air and more wind!
Today: A shallow layer of colder air will shut down the wind and keep many areas in eastern Colorado significantly cooler, and a bit hazy today. Temperatures behind the cold front will hover in the 40s and 50s for much of the day along and north of the Arkansas River, and although we expect wind, the gusts won't be as strong or dry, and the potential for fire weather will be reduced. Along the northern slopes of the Raton Mesa and near the eastern slopes of the Wet and Sangre De Cristo mountains the air will warm into the 60s and 70s, and strong wind gusts will continue to result in very dry conditions favorable for the spread of wildfires during the afternoon. The air over the mountains and high mountain valleys won't cool as much if at all, and we expect high temperatures in the 50s and 60s for these areas. We expect a mixture of clouds and sun throughout the day.
Tonight: Partly cloudy this evening with a sprinkle or flurry possible over the mountains, then becoming mostly clear with decreasing wind and low temperatures in the 30s and 40s for most areas; 20s over the high mountain valleys. There will still be some breezy pockets over the mountains at times.
Easter Sunday: Mostly sunny, windy, and warmer with high temperatures in the 70s to near 80 for the plains, 50s and 60s over the mountains and high mountain valleys. Weather conditions favorable for the spread of wildfires will be likely over more of eastern Colorado again by afternoon.
Extended: We'll track a series of weak cold fronts that will result in day-to-day temperature variations and fire weather concerns. Monday will be mostly sunny, breezy and a little cooler with high temperatures in the 60s to lower 70s for the plains. Windy, dry, and warmer again on Tuesday, then slightly cooler on Wednesday and Thursday, but we should remain dry. Friday looks warm and very windy again as a stronger storm passes mainly north of the area. Saturday should be windy and cooler, but right now our chances for precipitation don't look great.
