Alert archive / Colorado / High Wind Watches in 2026
High Wind Watch 3, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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.
- 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
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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</html>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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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 11:02 AM MST | High Wind Warning | BOU | Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson and 2 more | 16 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.