textproduct: Pueblo

KEY MESSAGES

- Record warmth continues today and Thursday.

- Spotty Critical Fire Weather conditions in the valleys today will expand across most of southern CO on Thursday.

- Substantial cool down for Friday across the eastern plains behind a cold front, then warming again with disturbances bringing chances for showers and thunderstorms late weekend into early next week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/

Issued at 1247 AM MDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Upper level ridging over CO on Wednesday will slacken the winds aloft as mid level temperatures continue to warm. This will result in some of the warmest readings this week across southern CO with high temperatures easily breaking old record highs for this date, and coming close to the new all time record monthly highs for March, especially at KALS. Although winds will be breezy again at times across the mountains, critical fire weather conditions look localized across areas under the Red Flag Warning for Wednesday. H7 winds stay under 20 kts and with deep mixing gusty conditions still do not look widespread enough across Teller County and the southeast mountains to upgrade the lingering Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning. Plan to cancel this watch with the new package. One wild card is the chance for some high based showers/virga which develops over the mountains and spreads off into the adjacent plains during the evening. Some locally enhanced winds may accompany these, though would also expect a marginal increase in humidity as well. Not much precipitation is expected to reach the ground however, so this will not be enough to result in a wetting rain.

Overnight lows Wednesday night will be mild once again as lee troughing intensifies and shifts eastward ahead of the approaching shortwave. Humidity recoveries along the lower east facing slopes of the southeast mountains will be poor where westerly drainage winds remain enhanced overnight. This will set the stage for more critical fire weather conditions on Thursday. -KT

LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/

Issued at 1247 AM MDT Wed Mar 25 2026

Another round of record breaking warmth and more widespread critical fire weather conditions can be expected for Thursday. Flow aloft increases as a Pacific shortwave off the southern coast of CA fills and ejects across southern CO on Thursday. Northern stream upper jet sags south as well with a cold front pushing into northern portions of the southeast plains in the afternoon. This quickly races through the plains during the late afternoon and evening. Gusty west winds during the early part of the day will result in another round of critical fire weather conditions, and current Fire Weather Watches still look on target with greatest uncertainty across northern sections of the southeast plains where timing of the cold front will be most vulnerable to change. Humidity values will quickly increase behind the front, though so will the winds, with a sharp wind shift from the north gusting to 40 mph or more during the evening. Probabilities of 50 mph or greater have decreased to 30% or less across the far eastern counties in latest NBM probabilistic data, though the tight surface pressure gradient would suggest leaning towards the higher side of probabilistic guidance for wind gusts.

Low clouds spread in behind the front and linger through Friday morning along the I-25 corridor and lower eastern slopes of the southeast mountains. A substantial cool down is expected, especially for the plains where highs will go from lower 90s on Thursday down to the 50s for Friday. Did nudge temperatures down from National Blend of Models a tad. Disturbances in northwest flow, along with embedded moisture banked up across the southeast mountains will result in isolated to low end scattered showers across the mountains in the afternoon. Any precipitation will remain spotty and light. It will still be breezy in the afternoon, but humidity levels should stay high enough to avoid a return of critical fire weather conditions.

Upper ridge returns for Saturday with temperatures rebounding back into the lower 80s across the plains. With the warmth and return of lee troughing, we could see some marginal critical fire weather conditions return to the valleys and portions of the I-25 corridor on Saturday.

A pattern change brings southwest for for Sunday into early next week with embedded southern stream disturbances bringing influxes of subtropical moisture and daily chances for afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, especially over the mountains. Precipitation amounts look light at this point, though the long range models are advertising a stronger trough sometime late next week which could bring more substantial precipitation amounts to the mountains. Otherwise temperatures will remain well above normal. -KT

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1127 AM MDT Wed Mar 25 2026

VFR conditions are anticipated during the next 24 hours at all 3 taf sites, KPUB, KALS and KCOS. Can not rule out a bit of haze at KCOS due to the fire ~20 nm southwest of the airport.

Winds at KALS will be light for most of the period, but will be from the south at aoa 10 knts late this afternoon.

KCOS will see diurnal wind flow, but it will be a bit gusty later this afternoon into early evening.

KPUB will see westerly flow into early afternoon then winds should shift to southeast this afternoon and become breezy. Winds will then go around to light west after sunset.

CLIMATE

Issued at 133 PM MDT Tue Mar 24 2026

Record High Temperatures

March 25th..

Pueblo: 81 in 2004 Colorado Springs: 75 in 2012 Alamosa: 73 in 2012

March 26th...

Pueblo: 84 in 2022 and 2004 Colorado Springs: 81 in 1971 Alamosa: 73 in 1971

PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Fire Weather Watch from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening for COZ220>222-224-225-227>233-235>237. Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MDT this evening for COZ222-224.