Several First Alert Weather Days ahead in Colorado with gusty winds and high fire danger

High fire danger is making a comeback across parts of Colorado as we wrap up the work week. Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches are going into effect starting Thursday, and the setup is one to keep an eye on.

The Red Flag Warning was expanded Thursday morning to include Denver and the majority of the I-25 corridor for Thursday. The warning runs until 6 p.m. with 30-50 mph gusts and stronger wind gusts expected Friday. 

Winds will start to pick up on Thursday, especially across Northern Colorado and the northeastern plains. Northwest gusts could reach up to 50 mph at times, making for very dry and dangerous fire conditions.

Humidity levels will drop fast, dipping as low as 13%. With winds this strong and air this dry, any spark could spread quickly.

A cold front sliding in will only add to the wind concerns heading into Friday. Northern Colorado, the eastern plains, and the northern foothills will see even stronger gusts as the jet stream ramps things up.

Fire Weather Watches are already in place for those areas as of Thursday morning.

Winds will really ramp up overnight Thursday into Friday afternoon, with gusts potentially reaching 65 mph. If conditions continue to line up, those Fire Weather Watches could be upgraded to Red Flag Warnings by Friday, raising fire danger concerns even more as the week comes to a close.

Xcel Energy is prepared for potential power shutoffs in Northern Colorado this week due to extreme fire risk. The likely Public Safety Power Shutoff could happen on Friday, Jan. 16.  

The cold front will also knock temperatures down into the 40s by Friday. That cooler air sticks around into Saturday before we start warming back up on Sunday.

For Broncos fans heading to the big game Saturday, expect cooler conditions with highs in the low 40s and breezy winds gusting up to 20 mph at times.