Warm and breezy weather today is expected to give way to cooler and wetter weather this weekend as an upper level trough moves into the Rockies from the west. Today, Red Flag Warnings are in effect for areas west of the Divide and areas of southern central CO below 8000 ft due to gusty southwest winds and low relative humidity values. Fire danger will lower this weekend as higher RH values expected and cooler temps. Afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms look likely for Saturday through Monday. Snow level looks to remain at or above 11,000 ft, although some snow down to 10,000 ft in heavier showers is possible across the High Country. Showers will initially develop across the high country, and spread east into the foothills and plains by late afternoon and evening. Some severe thunderstorms will be possible across the northeast plains Saturday, with isolated tornadoes possible. Best chances will be near the KS and NE border areas north of I-70. Small hail and gusty outflow winds will be the biggest threats for our area.
Upper ridge then builds back across the Rockies so drier and warmer weather is expected for Tuesday through next weekend, with only slight chances for isolated showers mainly along and west of the Divide. Fire danger will increase by mid to late next week as southwest flow aloft will produce breezy to windy conditions, along with very warm temps and low RH values.
I just returned from my annual storm chase, and it was definitely the most exciting chase I have been on. We saw two tornadoes, and were just behind an EF4 that unfortunately killed 6 people in Granbury, TX on Wednesday. We were nearly run over by an EF3 at night that made a sharp 90 degree left turn, so some tense moments as we were simply trying to get to a hotel at that point, as chasing storms at night is not the wisest thing to do. Saw baseball to grapefruit size hail as well. The excitement of seeing such storms is always tempered by any loss of life and property, so my heart goes out to those affected in Texas by these very severe storms. Our solace as chasers is that we report what we see to local authorities who can then warn people in the path of these storms in conjunction with the National Weather Service warnings. There is looking like the potential for a massive severe weather outbreak this weekend from the Dakotas south into northern Texas, and this will continue on Monday slightly farther east into Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas. Anyone planning travel in this area should be aware of this danger and stay tuned to local sources for severe weather statements. In Colorado, we are just coming into our prime severe weather season from late May into early July.
_________________
"Climatology is what you expect, Weather is what you get".
"It is better to be roughly right than precisely wrong".
Too bad future generations aren't here to see all the great things we are spending their $$ on!!
