High Wind Warning 4, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

370 
WWUS75 KBOU 232255
NPWBOU

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Denver CO
455 PM MDT Wed Mar 23 2022

COZ041-046-047-240000-
/O.EXP.KBOU.HW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-220323T2300Z/
Elbert/Central and East Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet-North
and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln County-
Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County-
Including the cities of Castle Rock, Punkin Center, Elbert,
Karval, Hugo, Matheson, Forder, Kiowa, Larkspur, Agate, Limon,
Fondis, and Kutch
455 PM MDT Wed Mar 23 2022

...HIGH WIND WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 5 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON...

Winds will continue to gradually diminish this evening.

Many locations reported wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph earlier today, 
mainly south of Interstate 70 and east of Interstate 25.

$$

For more information from the National Weather Service, visit 
https://weather.gov/bou

Gimmestad

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
1142 PM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

.UPDATE...
Issued at 847 PM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

Showers are decreasing about as expected. There's a minor surge in
the north winds arriving into Denver just now. The winds just off
the ground will increase overnight, and mix down quickly in the
morning. The forcing will peak with or just after the passage of a
shortwave moving from north to south across the plains around mid
morning, though mixing will keep the speeds up through at least
the early afternoon. No change in the thinking on the High
Wind Watch. It looks close and we'll maintain the watch for now.
Much of the plains should see gusts to around 50 mph, but the
Watch area looks to have the strongest winds.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday)
Issued at 320 PM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

Scattered snow/rain showers continue over the mountains and plains
this afternoon with sufficient instability in place. Any
accumulations are expected to be minimal over the higher terrain
with up to a trace over the adjacent plains. Showers may contain
short periods of reduced visibility. Showers decrease during the
early evening hours.

The amplified upper level trough slowly exits the region
Wednesday. An accompanying jet max on the backside of the tough
will be responsible for another windy day over the plains and
mountains with strong northerly winds. HREF ensemble guidance
shows gusts likely in the 40-50 mph range over the plains and up
to 30-40 mph in the urban corridor. There is a chance for gusts to
exceed 55 mph over the Palmer Divide, eastward to the CO-KS
border. As a result, a High Wind Watch has been issued for the
Palmer Divide and eastward late tomorrow morning through the
afternoon. Temperatures warm aloft gradually as a ridge builds in,
so expect high temperatures in the 50s over the plains, 40s in
the foothills, and 30s in the mountains.

.LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday)
Issued at 320 PM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

High pressure will build in across the region continuing into the
weekend with upper level flow turning northwesterly. Wednesday night
into Thursday, winds will gradually diminish across the plans as the
trough pushes east and the pressure gradient loosens. Partly cloudy
skies on Thursday should give way to drier conditions and be mostly
sunny with increasing warm air advection. 700 mb temperatures
increase 1-2C per day into the weekend with 8C possible by Sunday.
This will result in highs reaching into the mid to upper 70s by the
weekend and into early next week. Relative humidity values will
slowly decrease through the week with teens possible on the plains.

The next system may impact the state starting early Tuesday with a
closed low moving up from the southwest. At this time there
continues to be considerable uncertainty with the placement, track
and timing of this feature so will refrain from getting too much
into details at this time.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Wednesday night)
Issued at 1141 PM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

Expect VFR conditions through the TAF period. Skies will continue
to clear tonight and there should only be a few mid to high
clouds around Wednesday. Moderate westerly winds around 10 knots
through tonight will turn back northerly in the morning an
increase in strength through the day. Peak afternoon gusts will
likely reach 30 to 35 knots. Winds will decrease through the
evening and turn more westerly, on their way to drainage
overnight.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 320 PM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

Drier and warmer Wednesday as the previous system exits the region.
An upper level jet max positions over the region tomorrow and
should mix down efficiently to result gusty winds, especially over
the plains. Increased northerly winds with gusts 40-50 mph are likely
and the HREF ensemble max indicates potential for max gusts
exceeding 55 mph over the Palmer Divide eastward. Minimum
relative humidity values will be in the mid to upper teens over
the in the urban corridor extending northeastward onto the plains
and 20s over the Palmer Divide. This will result in elevated to
near-critical fire weather conditions in the mentioned areas.
Held off on the issuance of highlights due to lower confidence in
the duration critical conditions will be met tomorrow afternoon. There
is some snowfall on the Palmer Divide also which should be quick
to melt, but it will limit the potential to reach critical
thresholds.

&&

.BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
High Wind Watch from 10 AM MDT Wednesday through Wednesday
afternoon for COZ041-046-047.

&&

UPDATE...Gimmestad
SHORT TERM...Mensch
LONG TERM...Bowen
AVIATION...EJD
FIRE WEATHER...Mensch

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
1102 AM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

COZ030>051-231715-
Jackson County Below 9000 Feet-
West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet-
Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet-
South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/
Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet-
South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/
Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above
9000 Feet-Larimer and Boulder Counties Between 6000 and 9000 Feet-
Jefferson and West Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet/Gilpin/Clear
Creek/Northeast Park Counties Below 9000 Feet-
Central and Southeast Park County-
Larimer County Below 6000 Feet/Northwest Weld County-
Boulder And Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet/West Broomfield
County-
North Douglas County Below 6000 Feet/Denver/West Adams and
Arapahoe Counties/East Broomfield County-
Elbert/Central and East Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet-
Northeast Weld County-Central and South Weld County-Morgan County-
Central and East Adams and Arapahoe Counties-
North and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln
County-
Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County-
Logan County-Washington County-Sedgwick County-Phillips County-
1102 AM MDT Tue Mar 22 2022

This hazardous weather outlook is for northeast and north central
Colorado.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Light showers will continue today with the greatest coverage and
intensity in the high country. Accumulations will be light. A few
areas in the mountains may get 1 to 3 inches but most areas will
get less than an inch. Expect breezy northerly winds across the
plains gusting generally 35 to 45 mph in many areas and strongest
further east and south. Patchy blowing snow will cause poor
visibility in the mountains and on the plains around and east of
the Palmer Divide.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Expect strong northerly winds across the plains Wednesday with
gusts up to 45 mph. Dry with a warming trend from Thursday through
the weekend.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.