Western Colorado Gets One More Taste of Summer Before the Weekend Turns

If you're enjoying the warm, dry weather, soak it up. Western Colorado has a few more days of it before the forecast starts looking a little more interesting.

Thursday and Friday will stay warm, sunny, and dry, with afternoon winds adding a little spice to an otherwise pleasant forecast.

More Warmth, More Wind

The National Weather Service says high pressure remains in control across the Southwest, keeping skies mostly clear and temperatures well above normal.

Highs will run about five to 10 degrees above seasonal averages through Friday. But the sunshine won't be completely calm. Stronger winds higher in the atmosphere will mix down during the afternoon, producing gusts of 20 to 30 mph.

And because the air is ridiculously dry, with afternoon humidity dropping below 15%, some localized critical fire weather conditions are possible Thursday and Friday.

Basically, everything is dry enough to burn and windy enough to help it along. So maybe don't give the campfire any new hobbies.

The Weekend May Finally Bring Some Changes

The first real chance for precipitation in a while is showing up this weekend as moisture begins streaming north from the south.

Forecast models are still arguing about exactly how much moisture arrives and when it gets here. One model is slower and weaker with the moisture push, while another is more enthusiastic. Naturally, because apparently weather models enjoy making weekend plans complicated.

Read More: Don’t Wait for October: Grand Mesa Aspens Forecasted for Mid-September Peak

Clouds and Cooler Air Look More Likely

A storm system moving through the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies will shift our winds back to the southwest, potentially pulling a healthy amount of moisture into eastern Utah and Western Colorado.

That moisture doesn't automatically guarantee rain, though. We still need something to kick off the showers and thunderstorms, and that piece of the puzzle remains uncertain.

Even if the rain doesn't materialize, clouds and cooler temperatures are becoming increasingly likely for the weekend.

So enjoy the summer encore through Friday. Fall may finally be trying to get a word in.