Western CO Weather: 55 MPH Gusts to Drive Peak Fire Danger

If you've been waiting for a break from the heat, wind, and fire danger, you'll need a little more patience.

Western Colorado remains stuck in a pattern that can best be described as hot, dry, and windy, with Wednesday shaping up to be the roughest day of the week.

Nearly Everyone Is Under A Red Flag Warning

The big story is fire weather.

Red Flag Warnings are in effect from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday for most of eastern Utah and western Colorado as a dangerous combination of strong winds, very low humidity, and dry fuels settles over the region.

This isn't one of those "be careful out there" forecasts.

This is one of those "maybe don't be the person who accidentally starts a wildfire" forecasts.

Today, We'll See The Strongest Winds

Forecasters expect winds to peak Wednesday afternoon as stronger winds higher in the atmosphere mix down to the surface.

Most areas will see gusts between 30 and 45 mph, with some locations north of I-70 potentially seeing 45 to 55 mph gusts.

That's strong enough to send trash cans wandering into neighboring zip codes and make any fire spread in a hurry.

The good news? Winds ease a bit Thursday and Friday. The bad news? Conditions stay plenty dry.

Triple-Digit Heat Is Back

At the same time, temperatures continue climbing.

Highs across the region will run about 10 degrees above normal, while desert valleys are expected to reach 100 degrees or higher through the end of the week.

In western Colorado, that's about the point where stepping outside feels like opening an oven door.

The Heat is Here to Stick Around

There is a slight chance a little moisture tries to sneak into the Four Corners by Friday, but forecasters aren't expecting much from it.

Even if a thunderstorm develops, it's more likely to bring lightning and gusty winds than meaningful rain.

Looking ahead, Saturday is already shaping up as another day with widespread fire weather concerns.

So for now, the forecast remains the same: hot, windy, dry, repeat.

Colorado's Record High Temperatures

Take a look at the record high temperatures for communities all over the state of Colorado. For this gallery, we're including communities whose record high temps exceeded 100 degrees.

Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan

Cool Places to Escape Colorado's Hot Temperatures

When summer temps in Colorado become unbearable, there are locations you can go to escape the heat. Most of these locations are high in the mountains, although, that doesn't mean there's nothing to do.

We've researched these locations with an average summer temperature in the mid-80s and below. That doesn't mean the temperatures won't get hotter than this, but it's a good chance you'll feel cooler and find some chill things to do.

Source: 100-Degree Heatwave and Severe Winds Lock Over Grand Valley

Filed Under: Colorado Weather

Categories: Colorado Local, Colorado News