Today’s Forecast:
As high pressure builds further into the four corners region today, storm chances will become more isolated across southern Colorado today. Drier air circulating around the high, and a lack of upper level energy, both contribute to the reduced storm chances. The morning will be clear, with a rapid temperature warm up into the 70s and 80s - you'll want to go straight for the iced coffee today! Isolated weak showers and thunderstorms will form over the mountains around lunchtime today and will slowly drift off into the Pikes Peak Region through the early afternoon.
A few of these showers and storms are likely to produce gusty wind as rain evaporates into dry air near the ground. This process makes that air colder and denser - which causes it to sink and spread out when it hits the ground, producing wind.
If you're heading to the Pikes Peak or Bust rodeo today, you should pack an umbrella and be prepared to head to your car or inside if you do see a quick storm move through. Otherwise, remember to bring water and sunscreen with you - it will be seasonably hot with highs in the upper 80s.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 88; Low: 58.
Sunny through the morning. Clouds build over the mountains late in the morning - by lunch a couple of weak showers are likely over the mountains. Temperatures will rocket up quickly today - as usual, pack the water bottle and the sunscreen if spending a long time outside. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible this afternoon with gusty wind being the main notable element from any storm today. Storm coverage will be about 2 in 10 - meaning about 20% of the area will actually get measurable rainfall. You're more likely to see a storm in the distance. Southeast winds at 5-10 mph.
Pueblo forecast: High: 94; Low: 61.
Sunny and hot in the steel city today. A very isolated chance for a shower or weak thunderstorm exists during the afternoon - but the main impact to your outdoor plans will be the heat. Keep the umbrella in the car for any 10-20 minute long storm you may see. Northwest winds this morning at 5-10 mph, shifting east at 5-10 mph this afternoon.
Canon City forecast: High: 93; Low: 62.
Sunny through the morning, patchy puffy (cumulus) clouds during the afternoon. An isolated shower or thunderstorm is possible with impacts, if you see one, lasting less than 30 minutes. Otherwise, like in Pueblo, it will be hot today.
Woodland Park forecast: High: 80; Low: 52.
Sunny in the morning, partly cloudy in the afternoon. Isolated thunderstorms are still in the cards today, mainly focused over the mountain peaks and the areas directly surrounding them. West wind at 5-10 mph, shifting northeast in the afternoon.
Tri-Lakes forecast: High: 80s; Low: 50s.
Sunny in the morning, isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. These storms should generally be weak, and last less than 30 minutes. Gusty wind remains possible with any storms today. Southwest winds at 5-10 mph.
Plains forecast: High: 90s; Low: 60s.
Sunny and hot. Isolated thunderstorms are possible late in the afternoon. While storm coverage will be low, storms that are able to make it into the plains could contain 1" hail, and 60 mph wind gusts.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: 90; Low: 59/60.
Sunny and hot. Patchy afternoon clouds, with a weak shower or storm in the afternoon favoring areas west of I-25 and toward La Veta Pass and the Culebra Range.
Mountains forecast: High: 80s; Low: 50s.
Sunny in the morning, isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms favoring the higher summits. East winds at 5-10 mph.
Extended outlook forecast:
High pressure noses further into the state on Wednesday. While we technically still have a storm chance during the afternoon across all of southern Colorado, the chances look best in the mountains - and outdoor plans will have limited impacts. Storm coverage on Wednesday should be around 10% - meaning, about 10 percent of southern Colorado should see a storm on Wednesday.
As the storms retreat, we'll crank up the heat as highs climb into the lower 90s in the Pikes Peak Region, and triple digit heat returns to Pueblo and the lower Arkansas River Valley. That heat continues Thursday, ahead of a weak cold front that should arrive Thursday afternoon. This will lead to a chance for a late afternoon or evening shower or thunderstorm depending on how early (or late) that front arrives. Regardless, Thursday's storm chances look fairly isolated.
Friday will return to seasonal highs in the 80s following the front, and will have better chances for an afternoon shower or storm with solid upslope flow in place providing low level moisture that storms thrive on. A couple of these storms could be strong. A more potent and well organized cold front will arrive Friday during the late afternoon, further cooling temperatures Saturday and providing another chance for storms on Saturday afternoon - again with at least an isolated stronger storm potential.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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