DENVER — Here we go again! Fierce winds will whip across the Front Range mountains and foothills Tuesday, while the Denver metro sees high fire danger and near record high temperatures in the lower 70s.
It's the calm before the next storm tonight. Look for mostly cloudy skies across Eastern Colorado with lows in the upper 20s to mid 30s by Tuesday morning.
Strong, gusty winds will start howling early in the mountains and spread east onto the plains. A High Wind Warning goes into effect at 8am until 6pm for the Front Range mountains and foothills above 6,000 feet for gusts up to 80 mph. This could lead to a dangerous situation if we see any kind of spark.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for the Denver metro area and Interstate 25 corridor from 10am to 5pm Tuesday. With near record heat, low humidity values and 45 mph gusts, fire danger will remain high throughout the day.
The February heat is back Tuesday as highs skyrocket into the lower 70s in Denver. The current record high is 71-degrees, last set in 1995. The city could easily tie that, if not break the record.
Meanwhile, this system will usher in heavy snow into the northern and central mountains late Tuesday afternoon and continue into Wednesday. Winter Storm Warnings are in effect around Rabbit Ears Pass for 8 to 16 inches of new snow. Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for the Front Range mountains, I-70 mountain corridor and Summit Country for 4 to 10 inches of new snow.
Windy conditions will persist Wednesday as a cold front moves through the state. We could see a few light rain showers developing around the Denver metro and plains Wednesday evening, but don't count on much moisture.
Look for low to mid 60s Thursday, Friday and Saturday with partly sunny skies. It'll be a very mild and snowless end to February in Denver. March comes in like a lamb on Sunday with above-average temperatures and partly cloudy skies.
DENVER WEATHER LINKS: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream
Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.