textproduct: Pueblo

KEY MESSAGES

- Cold front will bring a period of gusty winds tonight along with showers and isolated embedded thunderstorms to portions of the southeast plains.

- Cooler Sunday but warmer again Monday through next week with showers and thunderstorms returning to the forecast late week bringing some spotty rainfall and increasing fire weather concerns.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/

Issued at 1256 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026

Weak echoes on radar across the mountains will continue to develop this afternoon with isolated showers and thunderstorms spreading eastward with time into the evening hours. Upper trough to the northwest will continue to cool the column aloft as it approaches, releasing some elevated instability even into the evening hours as upper forcing from the wave approaches. At the same time, a secondary surge behind the cold front will drop through the plains, increasing the odds of some isolated showers and thunderstorms spreading to the southeast across the plains through the evening and into the overnight hours. CAPE is limited and rather elevated, so gusty winds, lightning and some brief, spotty, light to moderate rainfall would be the primary risks.

HRRR keeps increasing wind gusts with the frontal passage with a period of gusty winds up to 40-45 kts across the plains during the evening hours. So it will be a punchy front when it comes through as far as wind goes. Winds gradually swing around from the northeast to east on Sunday. Stratus and low clouds develop overnight and perhaps some sprinkles/drizzle along the lower eastern slopes of the southeast mountains through dawn, but the upslope is not all that strong by that point, and forcing will have pushed eastward. Overall, not terribly optimistic on rainfall chances or amounts after 06-09z and have trimmed back pops some from National Blend of Models.

Sunday will be cooler with temperatures topping out in the 60s across the plains. Interior valleys may actually be warmer with some low 70s in the afternoon. The southeast plains will be stable, but can't rule out an isolated thunderstorm across the southern Sangre De Cristos and maybe Pikes Peak in the afternoon. Otherwise, remainder of the area will be dry with a nice spring like feel once the morning clouds burn off. -KT

LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 1256 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026

Summer returns as upper ridging out west builds and shifts eastward. Temperatures will climb well into the 80s and lower 90s across the plains on Monday, with 70s to around 80 for the valleys, and 50s and 60s for the mountain communities. Even above timberline, temperatures should top out in the 40s, picking up snow melt and losing the brief small gains we made on snowpack from the previous storm. Tuesday looks equally warm and dry though a front will backdoor into the southeast plains during the day shifting winds from the east. It will remain predominantly dry through this period.

Upper ridge shifts eastward for Wednesday and although the heat continues, we may see a little relief in the form of afternoon clouds and isolated showers and thunderstorms over and near the mountains as a weak disturbance moves across. Any precipitation will be spotty and light.

The pattern becomes a bit more active for the latter half of the work week with more zonal flow and dampening shortwave troughs moving through the westerly flow aloft. Temperatures will remain above normal with some isolated afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms possible over the mountains at times. Some spotty rainfall will be possible but wetting rains (0.10) will be pretty hit or miss, and mostly miss. Winds will also increase through this period as well, so critical fire weather concerns will ramp up again towards late week, especially Thursday and perhaps again next weekend. -KT

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/

Issued at 522 PM MDT Sat May 9 2026

KALS...a few showers will continue this evening near the terminal, which could produce gusty winds near 30 kts. Northeasterly winds and low CIGS will develop overnight into Sunday morning, with improving conditions into the afternoon.

KCOS and KPUB...a few showers will remain possible this evening at both terminals. Gusty outflow winds would be the main concern. A strong cold front will drop south across KCOS and KPUB this evening, with strong northerly winds, with gusts in excess of 40 kts possible. Low stratus will develop behind the front along with showers, which will prevail into Sunday morning. CIGS will be slow to rise through Sunday afternoon.

PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.