textproduct: Pueblo

KEY MESSAGES

- Freeze Warning in effect for overnight into Sunday morning for the Plains with lows in the mid to upper 20s.

- Red Flag Warning in effect for Baca County tomorrow due to gusty winds and low humidity. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Prowers and Baca Counties on Monday.

- More widespread dangerous fire weather conditions are forecast Wednesday and Thursday across the region.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 1250 PM MDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Currently...satellite imagery shows clear skies across Colorado early this afternoon. Temperatures are cool, with mostly 50s across the Plains. Winds are also light across much of the region, except for far southeast Colorado, where northwest flow will slowly decrease for the remainder of the afternoon.

Tonight and Sunday...upper level high pressure is forecast to build across the region tonight into Sunday. This will keep dry weather across the areas through Sunday afternoon. Tonight, temperatures on the Plains will fall off after sunset, with widespread lows on the Plains in the mid to upper 20s. Given the forecast cold temperatures, a Freeze Warning is now in effect from late tonight into Sunday morning. Precautions should continue to protect sensitive plants and exposed pipes and irrigation systems. Temperatures will warm quickly tomorrow morning, with high temperatures into the 70s to near 80. Lee troughing will help increase southwesterly flow across Baca County by late morning, with gusty winds 35 to 45 mph possible. These gusty winds will combine with very low humidity values to produce dangerous fire weather conditions, and a Red Flag Warning is in effect for Baca County. Elsewhere, winds will remain light.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 1250 PM MDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Models in good agreement through Wednesday, before spread increases in the operational and ensemble guidance. Temperatures look to warm, with increasing fire weather conditions by mid week for southern Colorado.

Sunday night through Thursday...upper level high pressure will continue transit the region Sunday night and Monday before an upper trough moves into the west coast for Tuesday into Thursday. Temperatures will continue to warm with 80s to lower 90s by Tuesday and Wednesday across the Plains. Lee troughing will once again produce gusty southwest winds out near the Kansas border Monday afternoon, and a Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Prowers and Baca Counties. Tuesday will be a transition day, with the upper ridge moving east into Kansas, while the upper trough moves into the Great Basin. Winds look to be light, on Tuesday, with only spotty elevated fire weather conditions possible.

By Wednesday, flow increases out of the southwest ahead of the upper trough, with very gusty winds spreading across the region, and very low humidity values. Widespread dangerous fire weather conditions are forecast for much of the region. We will likely need fire weather watches in the coming forecast cycles.

The upper looks to eject northeast across Wyoming on Thursday, with another day of gusty winds and low humidity. With the trough passing and a cold front arriving, temperatures look to be slightly cooler, with highs in the 60s and 70s across the Plains. The main surge of cooler air doesn't look to arrive until late afternoon to early evening.

As for precipitation, a few showers may be possible along the Continental Divide Monday and Tuesday, but nothing widespread or heavy. By Thursday, more widespread shower will move into the Central Mountains, and possibly the Palmer Divide late in the day into Thursday night.

Friday and Saturday...models diverge a bit during this period, with multiple disturbances rotating around a main low to the north. Most of the discrepancies between guidance are with timing of the individual waves rotating through. Temperatures do look to be cooler, with mostly 60s across the Plains, with spotty elevated fire weather conditions possible over the San Luis Valley. Models also vary on precipitation chances for the Plains, but a cold front late in the forecast period may provide some focus for shower chances.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1051 PM MDT Sat Apr 18 2026

KCOS, KPUB, and KALS: VFR conditions are expected over the next 24 hours. Winds will continue to remain relatively light through this TAF period, around and less than 10 knots, with peak winds taking place Sunday afternoon. Beyond that, dry conditions will persist, with occasional high level clouds in place.

PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Freeze Warning until 8 AM MDT Sunday for COZ083>089-093>099. Fire Weather Watch from Monday morning through Monday evening for COZ236-237. Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 9 PM MDT Sunday for COZ237.