Residents across the Denver metropolitan area and surrounding regions are being urged to brace for a combination of high winds and low humidity conditions, leading to critical fire weather, per the National Weather Service (NWS). In response to the developing scenario, a Red Flag Warning has been issued starting from 10 AM this morning and set to remain in effect until 6 PM MDT this evening.
The warning encompasses multiple zones, including the foothills and plains, as well as the Palmer Divide. According to the National Weather Service, winds may gust up to 50 mph across the plains with some gusts up to 60 mph in the foothills. These conditions, coupled with relative humidity values dropping as low as 17 percent, create a ripe environment for any ignited flames quickly to become dangerous wildfires.
The detailed forecast for the region suggests sunny and breezy weather with temperatures climbing to the low 70s today, before dwindling back to the high 30s overnight. Widespread frost is also anticipated to develop overnight into Friday morning across most of the plains and over the Palmer Divide.
Heading into the weekend and early next week, the area is expected to experience well above normal-temperatures. However, with those temperatures come elevated to critical fire weather conditions at various times. The outlook shifts coming into next Tuesday and Wednesday, as the NWS indicates, a pattern change is possible next week, with cooler, unsettled weather returning to the area by Tuesday or Wednesday. This may also introduce a chance of rain and snow midweek, potentially easing the fire weather risk.
