Alert archive / Colorado / High Wind Watches in 2026

High Wind Watch 3, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

February 17, 20268 counties in Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this high wind watch at Feb 17, 2026, 10:51 PM MST for 8 counties in Colorado. It took effect at Feb 18, 2026, 8:00 PM MST. It was in force for .

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 17, 2026, 10:51 PM MST (05:51 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 18, 2026, 8:00 PM MST
Expired
Feb 18, 2026, 11:02 AM MST
In force
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

Counties Boulder County, CO, Broomfield County, CO, Clear Creek County, CO, Douglas County, CO, Gilpin County, CO, Jefferson County, CO, Larimer County, CO, Park County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 70 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:51 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Grand Junction, CO (KGJT), launched 00:00Z, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 279 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Grand Junction, CO at 00:00Z on 2026-02-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 5 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Grand Junction, CO at 00:00Z on 2026-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
5 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2556 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this high wind watch went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this high wind watch went out at Feb 17, 10:39 PM MST, 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 17, 10:39 PM MST, 12 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 17, 3:05 AM MST, 19 hours 46 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
305 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

COZ030>051-181015-
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-
305 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Widespread critical fire weather conditions will prevail today
from the base of the foothills eastward across the eastern plains.
Gusty southwest winds early this morning will shift to the west
and become strong as a cold front and rain/snow showers race
eastward across Colorado. Wind gusts of 50 to 65 mph will be
possible mid to late morning when this surge pushes through. Very
windy conditions continue through the afternoon.

The mountains will see a burst of heavy snow and strong winds
early to mid morning. Visibilities are expected to drop to less
than a quarter with roads becoming snow covered. Travel is
expected to be very difficult during the time frame. Snow showers
and very windy conditions will continue in the mountains this
afternoon and evening, creating difficult driving conditions at
times.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Snow continues in the mountains Wednesday and Wednesday night
leading to snow covered roads and hazardous travel at times. A
break in the snow is expected Thursday, but snow redevelops for
Friday.

Fire weather conditions will be elevated to locally critical
Wednesday and Thursday. On the plains along and south of I-70,
windy and dry conditions are expected Wednesday. On Thursday, fire
weather concerns shift to the Front Range.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 17, 5:03 PM MST, 5 hours 48 minutes before
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The office that day

Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 11:02 AM MSTHigh Wind WarningBOUBoulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson and 2 more16 hr

Nearby

High Wind Watches in Colorado, 2026Every high wind watch in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.