High fire danger and mountain snowstorm set to hit Colorado
Another dramatic Colorado split of fire danger and heavy mountain snow rolling in this week. Our team of meteorologists have launched a First Alert Weather Day for high fire danger across the Front Range as record heat, strong winds and low humidity locks in for Tuesday.
The combination of strong downslope winds that will heat up temperatures and dry out our humidity levels will be enough to kick up critical fire weather conditions for most of the day on Tuesday.
A red flag warning for high fire danger has been posted for areas near the northern Front Range foothills below 6,000 feet out across parts of the plains including the Denver metro area from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Tuesday. Along and east of I-25, wind gusts may top out 35 to 45 mph. The downslope winds will warm temperatures into the upper 60s and low 70s. Relative humidity levels may drop as low as 10%.
The Denver record is 71 degrees and it is very likely we will tie that record Tuesday afternoon.
High Wind Warnings are in place for the Front Range Mountains and Foothills Tuesday, where wind gusts in and near the northern Front Range foothills may gust 70 to 80 mph.
With the approaching trough that is helping to boost the wind flow across the Rockies, snowfall will develop over the mountains of Colorado on Tuesday night. A winter weather advisory and winter storm warning for areas in the northern mountains will be in effect Tuesday night through Wednesday night.
The biggest snowfalls may be in the mountains around Steamboat Springs, Rabbit Ears Pass, Mt. Zerkel, Elkhead and Park Mountains with 8 to 16 inches possible. Summit County up through Rocky Mountain National Park may see 5 to 10 inches with 4 to 8 inches in the high country around Aspen.
The mountain snow will combine with wind gusts as high as 60 to 65 mph during the snow event this week.
Denver and eastern Colorado may see a small blast of rain or rain mixed with snow on Wednesday night. Little to no accumulation expected at this time.
