textproduct: Pueblo

KEY MESSAGES

- Warmer today with continued dry conditions.

- Light snow possible along the Continental Divide early Thursday morning through Friday morning.

- Plains will remain mild and dry into early next week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/

Issued at 221 AM MST Tue Dec 30 2025

Current water vapor imagery and upper air analysis is indicating modest northwest flow aloft across the Rockies, with stronger westerly flow in place across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Tier, as an upper low offshore of the southern California Coast is helping to build an upper ridge across Desert Southwest into the Great Basin at this time. Regional satellite data has clear skies across the Central Rockies, with current temperatures warmer than yesterday at this time, with mainly teens and 20s across south central and southeast Colorado, save for some single digit readings across the San Luis Valley.

Latest model data supports slow warming aloft as upper level ridging builds into the Rockies, keeping modest west to northwest flow in place across the region today. With the warming aloft, will see temperatures back above seasonal levels mainly in the 50s across the plains, with readings in the 30s and 40s across the higher terrain, under mostly sunny skies and generally light diurnal wind regimes. Overnight lows tonight will again be warmer than this morning, mainly in the 20s and 30s, warmest in the banana belt where light downslope flow is expected to develop overnight. With the light wind regimes, will likely see cooler temperatures in the single digits in the central portions of the San Luis Valley, with cooler readings in the teens and 20s across the lower Arkansas River valley as well.

LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/

Issued at 221 AM MST Tue Dec 30 2025

There have been changes to the extended forecast, but deterministic guidance remain similar. The main changes are less wind over the weekend, with guidance now building broad high pressure across the region.

Wednesday...upper level high pressure over the Intermountain West will shift eastward throughout the day. This will allow for temperatures to warm nicely with 60s across the Plains, and upper 40s across the San Luis Valley. Dry conditions are forecast.

Wednesday night through Friday...the upper ridge will continue to track eastward into the Central Plains Wednesday night, while an upper shortwave trough moves into Colorado. Expect an increase in cloud cover Wednesday night as the upper wave approaches. Current guidance keep most of the overnight hours dry, with isolated snow showers moving into the Continental Divide by Thursday morning. Overnight lows will be mild, with mid to upper 30s along the Eastern Mountain lee slopes, and lower 30s on the Plains.

Snow will spread along the Continental Divide Thursday and Thursday night. Overall, ensembles and deterministic guidance continues to come in with less accumulation, with only around 1 to 3 inches Thursday into Friday morning. Highest amounts continue to look across the San Juan Range. While impacts look minimal at this time, roads over mountain passes could be slick at times Thursday into Friday morning. Snow will come to an end by Friday afternoon, as the energy shifts east and the next upper ridge builds in.

Dry conditions will prevail across the Plains. Slightly enhanced mixing associated with the upper wave will help boost temperatures into the mid 60s on Thursday. While not overly windy, gap wind prone areas could see a few gusts during the afternoon hours to near 30 mph. Continued mild temperatures will continue into Friday, with highs a few degrees cooler with upper 50s to lower 60s on the Plains.

Saturday through Tuesday...the biggest changes occurred with the weekend into early next week. Previous guidance had enhanced southwesterly flow across Colorado, with a potential for strong winds on Saturday. The 00z guidance this evening now develops a broad ridge across southern Colorado over the weekend, shifting it east into the Central Plains early next week. The biggest change is less potential for wind, and slightly warmer temperatures. By early next week, the upper ridge will shift to the east, with southwesterly flow spreading across Colorado. Energy in the flow looks minimal until mid week, with continued dry and mild conditions. Temperatures do look to cool a few degrees Monday into Tuesday, with 50s across the lower elevations. Mozley

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 415 AM MST Tue Dec 30 2025

VFR conditions with generally light diurnal wind regimes can be expected at COS, PUB and ALS over the next 24 hours, as upper level ridging builds into the Rockies.

PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.