Colorado Weather: Warming up before strong winds blow in
DENVER(CBS)- Colorado will be sandwiched between a high pressure ridge and the next storm system blowing in from the Pacific Northwest.
Between the two systems the state will be caught in a pressure gradient between the high and low along with seeing a strong jet stream zip thru Thursday night into Friday.
This will bring in a combination of strong winds and heavy mountain snow. For Thursday you can count on a warm up out east with strengthening wind in the mountains. Highs for Denver and the eastern plains should warm into the 50s and 60s.
Friday will be a First Alert Weather Day for the strong winds that are expected. Thursday night into Friday there is a High Wind Warning posted for the Front Range Foothills including the higher areas of the Palmer Divide from Castle Rock and Parker down into Southern Colorado thru Friday at 5pm. Denver is not in the warning area but, gusts on Friday may reach up to 45 mph in the metro area.
There are also, High Wind Watches in place for the Northeastern Plains and NW Corner of the state for Friday with winds expected to pop gusts up to 60 mph there.
Snow will also be produced in the mountains of the state at a heavy rate. Some northern and central mountains may pick up 5 to 12 inches of snow. There are Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories posted for many mountain spots Thursday night into Friday.
That along with wind gusts as high as 60 to 75 mph may make for dangerous driving conditions Thursday night into Friday afternoon.