Sunny blue skies and wind, along with dry ground and grass, combined to create favorable conditions for the fires, which threaten Friday and the weekend for residents of Denver and other Front Range towns .
The high temperature in Denver will hit 53 degrees on Friday, dropping to 65 degrees on Saturday and 68 degrees on Sunday under mostly sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service.
Around Colorado, the Weather Service issued an air quality alert Friday morning for areas west of Colorado Springs where a wildfire near Lake George in Park and Teller counties was blowing smoke. .
Humidity as low as 10% in the high plains means any combustion or spark outside could start a fire. Weather service officials issued a red flag fire danger warning covering Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and the southeastern quarter of the state.
Fire weather watch for Saturday afternoon across the Palmer Divide due to increasingly dry and windy conditions. Be sure to avoid any outdoor activity that could cause sparks! #cowx pic.twitter.com/vsbc256obY
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) March 31, 2023
A winter weather advisory warned of snow in the mountains of western Colorado, where up to nine inches of snow is expected in some areas, along with gusty winds at speeds of up to 50 miles on time, which could create difficult road conditions. Weather Services forecasters also issued a strong wind warning covering Front Range towns north of metro Denver to the Wyoming border.
For the mountains, the winter weather advisory continues until 6 p.m. with an additional 3 to 9 inches of snow and strong gusty winds. For the Denver and Palmer Divide metro area, the red flag warning begins at 11 a.m. today for gusty winds and dry conditions.#cowx pic.twitter.com/zxC8Uw8r2D
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) March 31, 2023
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