DENVER – Gusty west winds will combine with renewed very dry conditions Friday, creating critical fire weather for the high valleys, foothills and far northern plains of Colorado, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service.
Friday’s Red Flag Warning will affect parts of Boulder, Grand, Huerfano, Jackson, Larimer, Las Animas, Summit, Park and Pueblo counties from noon to 6 p.m. due to wind and low relative humidity, the NWS said.
“The highest fire danger will be found in the northern foothills and adjacent lower elevations, where the strongest winds are expected,” NWS forecasters wrote early Friday morning.
The Red Flag Warning in effect Friday from noon to 6 pm has been expanded slightly. Use extreme caution with any outdoor activities that can create sparks or flames. pic.twitter.com/WAjxcAXMbo
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 21, 2022
Above normal temperatures, westerly winds between 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, and a low relative humidity of 9% will contribute to rapid fire spread for ready to burn fuels which can contribute to extreme fire behavior, forecasters said.
Already, officials are warning people that no burning of any kind is allowed in unincorporated Boulder County and ask that people refrain from using anything that could create flames or sparks.
Outdoor burning of any kind is being strongly discouraged and people are also advised not to throw cigarette butts out the window in areas under the Red Flag Warning.
The warm and dry weather pattern will continue for the next couple of days, with highs in the mid- to upper-70s through Saturday.
The weather pattern changes with winds increasing Saturday ahead of an approaching cold front, which will bring colder and wetter weather Sunday across Colorado, according to Denver7 meteorologist Stacey Donaldson.
Six to ten inches of snow will be likely for the mountains of northern and central Colorado above 10,000 feet, while the Denver metro area can expect to see temperatures in the upper 50s with a chance for rain showers.
There will be a chance of some light snow Sunday night and early Monday for the Denver area, but probably not enough to mark the first official snowfall of the season as only a trace is likely, Donaldson said.
