Tonight's Forecast:
Storm energy coming out of California will bring heavy snow and very strong winds to the mountains overnight tonight and into the day on Wednesday. Wind gusts after midnight could top 50-60 mph in the high country, and this could effectively bring traffic to a halt. Travel is not recommended in the mountains during this time.
For the Plains, slight breezes and mild temperatures can be expected tonight, with overnight lows only cooling down to the 30s and 40s.
Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 35; High: 66; Strong and powerful wind gusts up to 60 mph will hammer the Pikes Peak Region on Wednesday, and along with a High Wind Warning, a Red Flag Warning has been issued for most of the day Wednesday.
Pueblo forecast: Low: 35; High: 72; Windy and warm, with both a High Wind Warning and Red Flag Warning for the Steel City from 9 am to 8 pm. Peak wind gusts here could top 65 mph.
Canon City forecast: Low: 40; High: 69; Powerful wind gusts up to 60 mph have prompted a High Wind Warning for the Canon City area on Wednesday. Although Fremont County is not included in tomorrow's Red Flag Warning, outdoor burning should be put on hold because of the dangerous wind.
Woodland Park forecast: Low: 31; High: 57; Windy and warmer for Teller County on Wednesday, with peak afternoon wind gusts up near 60 mph. A few stray snow showers may also move off of the mountains by the afternoon, with little to no accumulation expected.
Tri-Lakes forecast: Low: 30s; High: 50s/60s; High winds will be the big weather story on Wednesday, with peak wind gusts to 55 mph expected along the Palmer Divide. All of El Paso County will be under a High Wind Warning from 9 am to 8 pm tomorrow.
Plains forecast: Low: 30s/40s; High: 70s; Areas of blowing dust, downed trees, downed power lines and difficult driving will be some of the impacts seen and felt across the Plains of Southern Colorado on Wednesday due to 50-70 mph wind gusts. High Wind Warnings and Red Flag Warnings will be in effect most of the day.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: Low: 30s/40s; High: 50s/60s; Very windy on Wednesday, with the potential for damaging wind gusts and blowing dust across the southern I-25 corridor. With gusts up to 65 mph, both a High Wind Warning and Red Flag Warning will stay in effect most of the day.
Mountains forecast: Low: 25; High: 50; Heavy snow, high avalanche danger and very windy conditions can be expected in the mountains on Wednesday. The heaviest snow is expected across the higher elevations of the Sangres and throughout the San Juans. Out towards Wolf Creek, another 2-4 feet of snow could fall through early Thursday morning.
Extended outlook forecast:
With the heavy mountain snow and strong region-wide damaging wind threat coming to an end by early Thursday morning, we should see a break in the action for at least a small stretch on Thursday. By Friday, the area of low pressure that's been hammering California today will bring the potential for some fresh light snow back to the mountains. A little bit of rain or snow will also be possible across the Plains by Friday afternoon, with little to no impacts expected.
Looking ahead to the weekend...that's when we're looking at a potential change in the weather pattern for the Plains, with snow developing on Sunday, and well below average temperatures to close out the weekend.
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Curious about the First Alert 5 Weather Storm Impact Scale? Check out our cheatsheet explainer.
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