DENVER — We’ll stay on the cool side tonight and through the rest of the weekend, with temperatures running near what we’d normally expect for late February. Skies will be fairly quiet overall, and after the recent snow, things settle down for a couple of days. If you’ve got outdoor plans, it’ll feel crisp but manageable, just keep the jacket handy.
As we head into next week, a big warm-up takes over. High pressure building overhead will send temperatures soaring each afternoon through Tuesday. By Tuesday, highs across the plains could climb into the upper 60s and even low 70s. In Denver, the record high for February 24 is 71 degrees, set back in 1995, and there’s a good chance we could tie or even break that. It’s going to feel more like April than February.
With that warmth sticking around and little moisture in the air, it’ll also turn very dry. Winds stay fairly light Monday, but they’ll start picking up Tuesday, especially in the mountains and foothills. Gusty conditions are possible, and while it’s not a slam dunk for widespread damaging winds, it’s something we’ll be watching closely. The combination of warm temperatures, dry air, and increasing wind could bring periods of elevated fire danger on the plains.
By Wednesday, changes begin. A system moving in from the west will knock temperatures down a bit and push a cold front through the area. That front will bring breezy to windy northwest winds across the plains, with gusts that could top 40 mph in spots. At the same time, snow chances return to the mountains from late Tuesday into Thursday, with the best accumulation staying in the highest elevations.
Looking toward late week, Thursday and Friday stay windy, especially across the northern and northeastern plains near the Wyoming and Nebraska borders. Even without much precipitation, the continued dry air and gusty winds could lead to multiple days of elevated to possibly critical fire weather conditions. There are hints of another stronger cold front by next weekend, but the timing and any chance for precipitation are still uncertain, so we’ll keep an eye on that as we move through the week.
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