textproduct: Pueblo

KEY MESSAGES

- High fire danger continues mainly along the southern I-25 corridor for this afternoon and again tomorrow.

- An upper storm system sends a cold front across the Plains by tomorrow afternoon, with light precipitation developing along the Eastern Mountains and adjacent Plains late in the day.

- High fire danger returns for Thursday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/

Issued at 1142 AM MST Mon Mar 2 2026

Currently...broad southwesterly flow aloft has filled in across southern Colorado early this afternoon, with high level clouds overhead. Temperatures have been highly dependent on wind. Where the wind has started gusting, temperatures are in the 60s and lower 70s, while areas along the lower Arkansas River Valley remain in the 40s and 50s. Expect mixing eastward this afternoon, with widespread 60s and 70s across the Plains. Areas along the southern I-25 corridor will continue to see high fire danger through this afternoon.

Tonight...an upper trough will begin to shift eastward out of Utah and across Colorado overnight. Expect to see an increase in snow showers across the Central Mountains, mainly north of Cottonwood Pass overnight. Any snow accumulations will be minor by morning. Across the Plains, winds look to remain elevated, helping to keep lows tonight in the 40s.

Tuesday...the upper trough is forecast to track eastward out of Utah, and across northern Colorado through the day. This will send a strong cold front south across the Plains by mid to late morning. Westerly winds will shift northerly, with gusts across the Plains in excess of 30 mph likely. Down south along the southern I-25 corridor, winds may hold off a bit before shifting northerly, with dry, westerly flow into the afternoon, with high fire danger over Huerfano and Las Animas Counties. Even if the front arrives early, dry air in place, and gusty north winds should keep high fire danger in the area.

As for precipitation, periods of light snow will continue across the Central Mountains through the day. Snowfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are likely, with the highest totals north of Cottonwood Pass. Further east on the Plains, precipitation will begin to fill in behind the cold front during the afternoon hours, initially over the Palmer Divide, and spreading south along the Eastern Mountains, into the adjacent Plains. Snow levels look to remain high, 8kft during the day, with rain below. Overall, rain rates look light during the afternoon. As for temperatures, the Plains will range from the mid 50s across the Palmer Divide, to lower 70s down near the New Mexico border.

LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/

Issued at 1142 AM MST Mon Mar 2 2026

Models in general agreement through the end of work week, with differences heading into next weekend. What once looked promising for some precipitation, continues to fade over the next several days.

Tuesday night through Friday...the initial upper wave will depart into the Central Plains. Temperatures will cool during the evening, which will help snow level fall to near 7 kft during the evening. Showers will generally come to an end from north to south through midnight, and across the Raton Ridge by Wednesday morning. Little if any snow accumulation is forecast. Overall, precipitation will come to an end by morning for all areas. Overnight lows on the Plains will fall into th lower 30s by Wednesday morning.

As the upper wave continues east, quick upper ridging will build across southern Colorado on Wednesday ahead of the next incoming storm system. Quiet weather will prevail on Wednesday, with slightly cooler highs on the Plains, mainly in the 60s.

By Thursday, the next upper system approaches, with increasing southwesterly flow across the region. Strong afternoon mixing will allow for gusty winds and dry air across the region, with widespread high fire danger across the Plains. Afternoon highs will climb well into the 70s for most of the Plains, while the San Luis Valley sees 50s and 60s.

Snow begins to move into the Continental Divide Thursday night and continue into Friday. Aloft, the upper system looks to split, with the main piece of energy dropping due south towards old Mexico, and more weak troughing across Colorado. Precipitation could spread off the Central Mountains and into the Palmer Divide late Friday into Friday night.

Next weekend into Monday...beyond Friday, models diverge, with how they want to handle the low to the south, and energy moving out of the Northern Rockies. Overall, it looks like we will be in broad northwesterly flow aloft, with periods of snow mainly across the Central Mountains. At the surface, a dry cold front looks to potentially impact the Plains, with the main impact being slightly cooler temperatures.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 1011 PM MST Mon Mar 2 2026

VFR conditions are anticipated during the next 24 hours at KALS

VFR conditions are near certain through 00 UTC tomorrow evening at KCOS and KPUB, but there will be a low chance of some MVFR conditions at the end of this fcst period due to possible lower cigs. An isolated shower could also occur late in the period.

A cold front will impact KCOS ad KPUB Tuesday. A prefrontal trough will come Tuesday morning, with the fropa during the early afternoon. Winds will be gusty by tomorrow morning and remain gusty into the afternoon. Lower cigs will be possible at KCOS and KPUB late in the fcst period.

PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 5 PM MST Tuesday for COZ229-230- 233.