DENVER — While the winds are gradually beginning to slow down, gusts up to 60 mph were still possible in Colorado's foothills. The high wind warning finally expired at 8 p.m., but critical fire weather conditions remain across northeastern Colorado, including in the Denver metro area.
Thousands of Xcel Energy customers are still without power Friday across Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties as the energy company carries out another planned public safety power shutoff in response to strong wind gusts in the Front Range foothills. Unplanned power outages were reported across the area.
A winter weather advisory also goes into effect this weekend in the northern mountains where between 3 and 8 inches of snow is possible.
Denver7 is providing you with the latest updates in the weather blog below.
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Friday, December 19
10:30 p.m. | 'TURBULENCE WAS CRAZY' | Denver International Airport saw the worst delays in the nation on Friday as the high winds impacted DIA operations. Denver7 spoke with a passenger who experienced ‘crazy’ turbulence on landing as an aviation expert explained why Denver’s airport is particularly susceptible to high winds.
Story in video player below:
9:37 p.m. | NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS | Pinewood Church in Boulder is stepping to to help neighbors impacted by the high winds. They said they'll offer "debris cleanup, flashlights, batteries, some food and water supply" at Safeway on 28th street from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday to coordinate volunteers.
The church shared this link for people who need relief.
For more information, you can reach them at:
- Care@pinewoodboulder.com
- Jess@pinewoodboulder.com
- Keegan@pinewoodboulder.com
8:50 p.m. | HIGH WIND WARNING EXPIRED | While winds will continue to be gusty across northeastern Colorado, the high wind warning has expired for all parts of the area. The NWS said wind gusts up to 60 mph were still possible in the foothills.
8:45 p.m. | ROAD THAT HAVE REOPENED | Here's the latest:
- Peak to Peak Highway (CO 72) has reopened.
- North Foothills Highway (US 36) has reopened.
- CO 93 has reopened.
Here are road that remain closed:
- CO 128 is closed from CO 93 to Eldorado Blvd. (Superior).
- Flagstaff Rd. is closed; local access only.
- Greenbriar Blvd. is closed from S Broadway to Gillaspie Dr. One southbound lane of Broadway is closed at that intersection.
- Kalmia Ave. is closed east of 28th St.
8:20 p.m. | UPDATE ON WHEN POWER WILL RETURN | As powerful, hurricane force strength winds pounded Colorado on Friday prompting power outages across the state, Xcel Energy said the utility “expects a large number of customers will be restored” by Sunday.
However, some customers might not see power until Monday.
Here's what Xcel Energy said in a release Friday evening.
"Restoration times will be impacted by continuing high winds and the extent of damage to the system. Xcel Energy expects a large number of customers will be restored by Sunday, Dec. 21 at noon. Restoration for some customers may extend into Monday. Xcel Energy will contact customers directly with up-to-date information about restoration in their area by Saturday morning."
You can read more here, including where to find stations to charge devices.
7:50 p.m. | HOW HIGH WERE THE WINDS | Denver7 is tracking wind reports across Colorado. Category 2 hurricane strength winds were reported in Boulder County where a staggering 112 mph wind was reported near Marshall.
Here are a few reports and you can check the full list here.
7:22 p.m. | WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY | Between 3 and 8 inches of snow is in the forecast for portions of the High Country as a winter weather advisory goes into effect at midnight for the northern Colorado mountains.
The NWS said winds could also gust to 60 mph. Up to 12 inches of snow is possible in the Park Range. Here's the advisory and more details.
7:08 p.m. | CHARGING STATION IN EVERGREEN | Evergreen Fire Rescue said Xcel Energy and the American Red Cross will host a charging station for devices on Saturday at their administration building located at 1802 Bergen Parkway. Charging is free and they'll be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
6:55 p.m. | BOULDER OUTDOOR AREAS ON SATURDAY | The City of Boulder said all open space and trail systems would remain closed overnight "with a goal to open the system" on Saturday. Boulder said crews would perform inspection work on trailheads and trails at daybreak to ensure they are safe to open.
"Use extreme caution when visiting the trails. Visitors may encounter trees blocking trails, overhead dangers such as loose branches hanging above the trails and large trees blown over and leaning above trailheads and trails. In addition, some visitor amenities might be closed due to damaged doors on restrooms and broken fencing and gates," said the city.
6:22 p.m. | POLIS EXCORIATES XCEL FOR POWER SHUTOFFS | Gov. Jared Polis released a statement Friday excoriating Xcel and demanding the energy company provide more transparency and clear communication to customers around the utility's public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) and weather-related outages to Colorado consumers, including schools and businesses.
No Coloradan should be wondering if they will or will not have power, and when it may be turned on again, or worse, receive no communication or confusing communication. Xcel energy must do their part in keeping communities safe, while also ensuring they are informing communities with the best, most up-to-date information possible before, during and after weather events so that people, schools and institutions can make informed decisions.
In his statement, Polis said he planned on addressing his concerns with the utility company "after the current weather systems resolve."
Friday's statement comes more than a year after the governor sent a letter to Xcel, in which he expressed his frustration with the utility company on its decision to proactively cut power back then and slow its restoration while failing to adequately communicate with the public at the time.
Xcel Energy carried out another public safety power shutoff (PSPS) Friday in response to hurricane-strong winds gusts in the Front Range foothills as crews worked around the clock to restore power to thousands of customers from a power shutoff it initiated on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Robert Kenney, the president of Xcel Energy Colorado, said Friday's PSPS would last several days as crews have to visually inspect lines, assess and remedy any damage to safely re-initiate power, which could take days.
"Turning off the power is not a decision we take lightly and our crews are working safely and diligently to restore power as quickly as possible,” Kenney said.
A disconnected Xcel power line was deemed partially responsible for starting the Marshall Fire in 2021.
Late on Friday, Denver7 received a response from Xcel Energy related to Polis' remarks asserting the utility had been in communication with the Governor's office since last Sunday.
“We are aware of the Governor’s press release and take issue with many of the assertions he has made," wrote Xcel Energy in a statement, adding: "We recognize that being without power is difficult and frustrating for our customers, and we don’t take calling a PSPS (Public Safety Power Outage) lightly. Our top priority is always the safety of our customers and communities."
6 p.m. | XCEL OUTAGES | There were a total of 262 power outages, affecting 88,713 customers as of 6 p.m., according to Xcel's outage map.
Jefferson County has the most outages as of 6 p.m., with 29, 357 customers affected. Boulder County comes second, with 23,240 customers affected.
5:57 p.m. | OUTAGE IN PARKER | The Town of Parker and the Parker Police Department say they're aware of a power outage spanning from Legend High School to Parker Rd and Hess Rd.
Officials said Core Electric is reporting this outage is due to construction in the area, and is not related to a public safety power shutoff (PSPS) by Xcel Energy.
5:50 p.m. | ROAD CLOSURE UPDATE | NB I-25 north of Wellington to the Wyoming border is back open to traffic, according to CDOT.
5:45 p.m. | CU BOULDER UPDATE | CU Boulder says it will resume standard winter break weekend operating hours on Saturday, Dec. 20. But, they "strongly encourage" people to refrain from coming to campus due to ongoing power and traffic impacts and downed trees.
5:30 p.m. | WEATHER UPDATE | The National Weather Service in Boulder says critical fire weather conditions along the I-25 Urban Corridor will continue this evening through midnight as sustained winds of 20-30 mph with gusts of upwards of 50 mph arrive to the Denver metro area. The foothills and adjacent will see sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts upwards of 65 mph, forecasters said.
Relative humidities will be in the single to double digits, with the lowest values around Denver, which could make for rapid wildfire spread from any new starts.
A high wind warning is also in effect through 8 p.m. Friday for the foothills and adjacent plains. NWS forecasters said strong cross winds will be the main issue for drivers, along with patchy blowing dust. Unsecured objects will be blown around.
Check out the wind impact timing for areas across the Denver metro, the foothills, the Palmer Divide, the I-70 Corridor and more, in the table below:
5:15 p.m. | HOW STRONG WERE THOSE WIND GUSTS? | Denver7's Adria Iraheta was in Boulder all day talking to people who experienced first hand the strong winds across the Front Range foothills. Watch what they had to say in the video player below:
5 p.m. | XCEL OUTAGES | There were a total of 263 power outages, affecting 86,030 customers as of 3 p.m., according to Xcel's outage map.
Jefferson County has the most outages as of 5 p.m., with 29, 357 customers affected. Boulder County comes second, with 23,238 customers affected.
4:43 p.m. | BOULDER ROAD CLOSURES | The following closures are in effect in Boulder as strong winds continue over the Front Range foothills:
- Greenbriar Blvd. is closed from S Broadway to Gillaspie Dr. One southbound lane of Broadway is closed at that intersection.
- Kalmia Ave. is closed east of 28th St.
- 63rd St. is closed from Nelson Rd. To Oxford Rd.
- Peak to Peak Highway (CO 72) from CO 7 (Allenspark) to the Nelson St (Ward).
- CO 93 is closed from Golden to Eldorado Springs.
- CO 128 is closed from CO 93 to Simms St.
- North Foothills Highway (US 36) is closed north of Boulder to Lyons.
- Flagstaff Rd. is closed; local access only.
4:42 p.m. | XCEL: REPORT DAMAGE TO POWER LINES | Xcel Energy is urging residents to report any damage to power lines through various means:
- Through the Xcel Energy mobile app, available in the Apple App Store and through Google Play.
- Online at http://xcelenergy.com/out
- Via text by texting OUT to 98936 to report an outage, or text STAT to the same number to check the status of a power outage
- By calling 1-800-895-1999 and following the prompts—the automated phone reporting system lets customers report outages in less than 60 seconds.
4:11 p.m. | WEATHER UPDATE | Weather forecasters in Boulder say the high wind warning has expired for the mountains, but will continue for the foothills and adjacent plains through 8 p.m. Friday.
"Isolated areas of 60-85 mph wind gusts [are] still expected before winds gradually weaken after sunset," forecasters said.
4:08 p.m. | BOULDER ROAD CLOSURES | The following closures are in effect in Boulder as strong winds continue over the Front Range foothills:
- Kalmia Ave. is closed east of 28th St.
- 63rd St. is closed from Nelson Rd. To Oxford Rd.
- Peak to Peak Highway (CO 72) from CO 7 (Allenspark) to the Nelson St (Ward).
- CO 93 is closed from Golden to Eldorado Springs.
- CO 128 is closed from CO 93 to Simms St.
- North Foothills Highway (US 36) is closed north of Boulder to Lyons.
- Flagstaff Rd. is closed; local access only.
3:45 p.m. | WHEN WILL STRONG WINDS HIT YOUR AREA? | The National Weather Service in Boulder has released an update to their wind matrix showing when the strongest winds will arrive to the Denver metro area.
The matrix shows the strongest winds are still battering the foothills. Though the winds have died down, gusts between 75-90 mph could still be a problem for the foothills for the next hour or so, with gusts between 50-65 mph continuing though 11 p.m.
The northern I-25 Corridor, including Ft. Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Greeley; the I-70 Mountain Corridor, including Genesee, Georgetown, the Eisenhower Tunnel and Dillon, as well as South Park, will see sustained winds between 25-35 mph, with gusts between 40-50 mph through 3 a.m. Saturday.
The Denver metro area, including Denver, Aurora, Centennial and Broomfield, will see sustained winds between 10-20 mph and gusts between 30-50 mph between 9 p.m. Friday and 3 a.m. Saturday, according to the NWS.
3:30 p.m. | ROAD CLOSURES | Strong winds along the I-25 Urban Corridor have shut down several roads today, including:
- NB I-25 north of Wellington to the Wyoming border
- Hwy. 128/120th Avenue in both directions between Hwy. 93 and Superior
- Hwy. 93 in both directions between Arvada and Hwy. 170
- Hwy. 72 in both directions between Hwy. 7 to Ward Rd.
- US 36 in both directions from Boulder to Lyons
- Hwy. 128 in both directions between Hwy. 93 to McCaslin Blvd.
3:25 p.m. | TRAFFIC ISSUES IN WESTMINSTER | Westminster police is warning people of delays near 88th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard due to ongoing repair on a damaged streetlight pole caused by high winds.
Officers are asking people to use alternate routes if possible.
3:24 p.m. | BOULDER ANNOUNCES "PARKING HOLIDAY" | The City of Boulder has announced a free "parking holiday" to support local businesses ahead of the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
From Saturday, Dec. 20 through Wednesday, Dec. 24, parking will be free in all on-street metered spaces and BoulderPark garages citywide. Officials said the temporary measure is intended to support businesses as they recover from the extreme weather-related impacts and to make it easier for the community to visit Boulder’s commercial districts during the busy holiday season.
“Many of our businesses experienced significant disruption from the recent wind event,” said Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, Boulder City Manager. “By offering free parking, we’re hoping to make it a little easier for our community to show their support for local shops and restaurants as they recover and as we head into the holiday season.”
Read more about the "parking holiday" here.
3:21 p.m. | I-25 CLOSURE | The northbound lanes of I-25 are closed north of Wellington to the Wyoming border due safety concerns from today's strong winds, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
3:15 p.m. | XCEL OUTAGES | There were a total of 252 power outages, affecting 88,952 customers as of 3 p.m., according to Xcel's outage map.
Jefferson County has the most outages as of 3 p.m., with 29,252 customers affected. Boulder County comes second, with 24,087 customers affected.
3:02 p.m. | DOWNED TREES IN EVERGREEN | Firefighters in Evergreen are responding to downed trees "across roads, against utility lines and, unfortunately, onto homes."
They advised homeowners to "find your homeowners insurance paperwork so you know who to call if needed."
Firefighters are responding to trees across roads, against utility lines and, unfortunately, onto homes. Today is a good day to find your homeowners insurance paperwork so you know who to call if needed. #Everything4You pic.twitter.com/Xa3QmBfoWV
— Evergreen Fire/Rescue (@efr_co) December 19, 2025
1:38 p.m. | WIND UPDATE | The National Weather Service in Boulder provided the following wind update:
In the upper foothills, the stronges wind gusts have weakened but a second surge bringing gusts between 60-75 mph is expected to arrive later tonight.
In the lower foothills/Hwy. 93 Corridor, winds are starting to peak and will continue for the next couple of hours.
For the I-25 Corridor and east, peak winds will occur after sunset, with gusts between 40 and 60 mph.
1 p.m. | XCEL OUTAGES | There were a total of 263 power outages, affecting 82,817 customers as of 1 p.m., according to Xcel's outage map. Jefferson County has the most outages as of 1 p.m., with 29,005 customers affected. Boulder County comes second, with 20,837 customers affected.
12:59 p.m. | DOWNED TREES IN BOULDER | CU Boulder police says reports have come in of downed trees and limbs around campus, and urged people to call 303-492-5522 to continue making those reports.
The Mountain Research Station and the northwest corner of main campus along University between Broadway and 17th are without power, officials said.
12:43 p.m.| WHEN WILL STRONG WINDS HIT YOUR AREA? | The National Weather Service in Boulder has released a wind matrix showing when the strongest winds will arrive to several parts of the Front Range foothills and the Denver metro area.
The matrix shows the strongest winds, with gusts up 105 mph will be over the foothills between 6,000 and 9,000 feet of elevation through 3 p.m. Friday. Though the winds will die down a bit after that, gusts up to 65 mph could still be a problem for the foothills through at least 9 p.m.
The northern I-25 Corridor, including Ft. Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Greeley; the I-70 Mountain Corridor, including Genesee, Georgetown, the Eisenhower Tunnel and Dillon, as well as South Park, will see sustained winds between 25-35 mph, with gusts up to 65 mph through 5 p.m.
The Denver metro area, including Denver, Aurora, Centennial and Broomfield, will see sustained winds between 15-20 mph and gusts up to 30-40 mph between 5 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday, according to the NWS.
12:41 p.m. | MORE DOWNED TREES IN BOULDER | A huge spruce tree is down on Juniper Avenue and Japonica Way in Boulder, according to Denver7's Adria Iraheta.
She said some power lines were down in the area as well.
12:27 p.m. | DOWNED TREES IN BOULDER AS WINDS PICK UP | Boulder police say they're responding to several types of calls involving today's strong winds.
At 7th and Mapleton, for example, police responded to downed trees in the middle of the road. Officers are asking people stay home and off the roads. and treat all non-functioning traffic intersections as four-way stops.
12:11 p.m. | XCEL: OUTAGES WILL EXTEND BEYOND FRIDAY | Xcel Energy officials are warning customers that power outages will extend beyond Friday after the latest forecasts showed that extreme fire weather conditions with high winds are now expected to persist beyond 10 p.m. Friday.
"Even though the high winds will end, power will not be restored immediately," an Xcel spokesperson said. "Xcel Energy expects this to be a very severe weather event with unplanned outages expected to significantly exceed the number of customers affected by a PSPS (public safety power shutoff)."
Xcel Energy officials stressed that the power will not come back on once conditions improve, as crews have to visually inspect lines, assess and remedy any damage to safely re-initiate power.
"This process can take hours and days depending on the full and actual scope of damage," the Xcel spokesperson said.
Customers impacted by the power outages can head to the following resource centers to charge phones or other home emergency supplies:
- Evergreen Fire Station – 1802 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, CO 80439 (Open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
- Gilpin County School – 10595 Highway 119, Black Hawk, CO 80422 (Open until further notice)
- Wellspring Catholic Academy – 1100 Upham St., Lakewood (Open from 3 p.m. until further notice)
- Health and Wellness Center – 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs (Open Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
12:08 p.m. | COLORADO DIVISION OF FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL ESTABLISHES TASK FORCE | The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control has established a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Task Force, which will assign strike teams made up of fire engines to help battle any potential fires today along the Front Range.
"This is the first time a PDS has been issued for fire weather in Colorado, emphasizing the potentially high-impact nature of this event, especially the potential for rapid wildfire spread due to extreme winds combined with exceptionally dry air and near-record warm temperatures," a spokesperson for the division said in a social media post.
Read more in the post below.
DFPC Establishes PDS TaskForce
— Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control (@COStateFire) December 19, 2025
In response to the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) for the Front Range foothills today, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) is activating a PDS Task Force. One PDS Task Force… pic.twitter.com/q9DR5K75Nj
12:03 p.m. | MOST OF GOLDEN WITHOUT POWER | Winds are increasing near Golden and they're expected to pickup not before long and last through 10 p.m. Friday, according to city officials, who said they're starting to see downed trees and power lines.
"Most of Golden is currently without power, including City facilities, businesses, schools and residences," an official said.
12 p.m. | XCEL OUTAGES | There were a total of 270 power outages, affecting 82,776 customers as of noon p.m., according to Xcel's outage map. Jefferson County has the most outages as of noon, with 28,991 customers affected. Boulder County comes second, with 20,705 customers affected.
11:18 a.m. | EVERGREEN DOWNED TREES | Evergreen Fire Rescue asks drivers to report any roads blocked by a tree because it's an emergency access issue. Evergreen Fire Rescue Crews and community volunteers are working to clear roads as quickly as possible.
10:24 a.m. | JEFFCO TRAILHEAD CLOSURE | The Clear Creek Canyon Park Gateway Trailhead parking lot is temporarily closed while the power is out, according to Jeffco Parks & Open Space. Some trailhead gates and restrooms may also be unavailable.
10:18 a.m. | WIND-RELATED ROAD CLOSURES | The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is implementing road closures due to what it calls "strong and dangerous winds" in the foothills, especially in Boulder County.
The closures currently in place include:
- Highway 93 in both directions from 64th Ave. in Arvada to State Highway 170
- State Highway 72 in both directions from State Highway 7 to Ward Road
- Highway 36 in both directions from Boulder to Lyons
- State Highway 128 in both directions from highway 92 to McCaslin Boulevard.
10:16 a.m. | DIA GROUND STOP | The FAA extended its ground stop yet again at DIA through 11 a.m. Arrivals are still delayed about 30 minutes but decreasing. There's a medium probability the ground stop continues.
10:11 a.m. | NEED MEDICAL OXYGEN IN EVERGREEN? | Evergreen Fire Rescue encourages anyone with a medical oxygen tank to come to Evergreen's Station 2 for a refill during this power outage.
Anyone who is not able to get to 1802 Bergen Parkway, call 911 and Evergreen Fire Rescue said crews will do their best to come to you.
If you get to the station and no on is there, they will return shortly, according to Evergreen Fire Rescue.
9:30 a.m. | BOULDER COUNTY ROAD CLOSURES | Due to high winds, CDOT has closed the following roads:
- Highway 93 between Golden and Eldorado Springs
- The Peak to Peak Highway (Highway 72) between Highway 7 and Nelson Street
- North Foothills Highway north of Boulder to Lyons.
In addition, Flagstaff Road is closed to everybody except residents who live along the road.
9:22 a.m. | DIA GROUND STOP| The FAA extended its ground stop at DIA through 10 a.m. Friday due to the wind.
8:45 a.m. | DIA DELAYS | There are 242 flights delayed in and out of Denver International Airport and 7 flights canceled Friday morning, according to FlightAware.
8:29 a.m. | DIA GROUND STOP | The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop for Denver International Airport (DIA) until 9 a.m. Friday due to the wind. Departures and arrivals to DIA are delayed an one average 30 minutes, but that's increasing.
8:21 a.m. | TURN OFF SUPPLEMENTARY HEATERS | The Boulder Police Department asked residents impacted by Friday morning's power outages to turn off all supplementary heaters, including ovens, curling irons and any heat source within their homes that could go off and come back on.
Boulder police said the department has increased staffing and extended shifts to ensure officers are available throughout the second extreme wind event this week.
8 a.m. | ALL BOULDER TRAILS CLOSED | All of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks properties are closed due to "unprecedented fire danger forecast."
5 a.m. | XCEL: 67,000 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER FRIDAY MORNING | About 67,000 customers across Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties are waking up without power this morning as Xcel Energy carries out another public safety power shutoff (PSPS) in response to strong wind gusts in the Front Range foothills.
The PSPS comes after the NWS in Boulder issued a Particular Dangerous Situation weather bulletin for the foothills and along Highway 93 westard.
4:45 a.m. | SEVERAL SCHOOLS CLOSED | The Boulder Valley School District, Evergreen High School, and more than a dozen schools across Jefferson County are closed due to the ongoing power outage implemented by Xcel Energy.
Parents are advised to check with their school district's website to make sure classes are canceled at their kid's school.
4:30 a.m. | BOULDER COUNTY URGES PEOPLE TO STAY HOME | The Boulder County Office of Emergency Management is asking people to stay home and off the roads today as "wind conditions will be dangerously high," especially in areas west of Broadway in Boulder and along the foothills.
"There will be significant debris in the roads, including downed limbs and power lines, and some traffic signals will be out," officials said. "Police, Fire and Paramedics will benefit from less traffic on the roads so that they can respond more quickly to emergencies and life safety situations."
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