Blowing Dust Warning 1, NWS Pueblo, CO

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
1031 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Critical Fire Weather conditions expected across most of eastern
  Colorado today...which continues across portions of SE CO through
  Thursday.

- Strong and damaging winds across much of southern Colorado
  today...with the potential for blowing dust across the plains.

- Moderate to heavy wind driven snow expected for the mountains,
  especially along and west of Continental Divide, with potential
  snow squalls pushing east through the morning.

- Unsettled conditions and cooler temperatures expected for late
  week into next weekend.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Issued at 1250 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

Current water vapor imagery and upper air analysis has increasing
southwest flow aloft across the region, as a broad upper trough
is translating across the Great Basin at this time. Water vapor
imagery is also indicating a strong subtropical jet out ahead of
the system translating across the Desert SW, with ample moisture
streaming out across the southern Rockies at this time. The strong
southwest flow is leading to lee troughing across the plains, with
SPC meso-analysis indicating pressure falls over the past few hours
across the I-25 Corridor. The passing clouds and developing breezy
conditions have very mild temperatures in the 30s, 40s and 50s early
this morning.

With the strong flow aloft ahead of the Great Basin system, will
continue to see strong west to southwest winds of 65 to 75 mph
spread across the higher terrain this morning, with the strongest
winds expected across the southern mountains. Gusty south to
southwest winds across the high mountain valleys and plains early
this morning will become strong westerly, gusting to 55-65 mph
late this morning, which continues into the afternoon.

Will continue to see snow developing across the Continental Divide
through the early morning hours, with models continuing to indicate
bands of snow along a mid level front, lifting out across high
mountain valleys eastern mtns before diminishing as the push east into
the drier air across the I-25 Corridor. With that said, I did bump up
pops across the eastern mtns into the I-25 Corridor through 15Z, before
the strong westerlies and drier air behind the passing front pushes
east across the plains. Will need to watch out for these snow squalls
as the push east this morning, with the potential for a quick inch or
two, along with dangerous travel conditions in snow and blowing snow.

With all this said, we have kept all current winter weather, fire weather
and high wind products in tact for today, with snow diminishing in
coverage and intensity across the Continental Divide through the
afternoon and early evening, before increasing again later tonight
as moisture within increasing westerly flow picks up ahead of the next
West Coast system translating across the Great Basin.

Winds diminish across the plains through the late afternoon and evening,
though stay up across the higher terrain through the overnight hours.
Highs today will follow the passing system, warmest across the far
southeast plains and coolest across the higher terrain along and west
of the ContDvd. Drier and cooler air in place tonight will allow for
temperatures to cool into the 20s and 30s across the plains, warmest
in the banana belt region, with teens and 20s expected across the
higher terrain.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
Issued at 1250 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

Latest model data indicates a similar set up to todays forecast,
with breezy to windy southwest winds early Wednesday, with winds
becoming strong westerly behind another passing front. Latest model
data is weaker with the winds, and while there could be some gusts
of 50-60 mph across the southern mtns, there is not enough support
to issue any high wind highlights at this time. Current winter
weather highlights remain in place across the ContDvd through the
day Wednesday, with the potential for an additional foot of snow
across the eastern San Juan mtns, along with with another 3 to 9
inches possible across the Central mtns. There remains the potential
for snow squalls on Wednesday as well, but how far east they push
remains in question.  Further east, breezy westerly winds and dry
conditions will likely lead to Critical Fire Weather conditions
across the plains on Wednesday, however, with the abundant warnings
currently in place, we kept the current Fire Weather Watch across
the southeast plains in tact.

The passing Wednesday system sends a front across the region with
temperatures cooling to at and below seasonal levels in 30s and 40s on
Thursday, and continued snow showers across the ContDvd. Despite the
cooler temperatures, very dry air moves into the region, and with
breezy north to northwest winds behind the passing system, there could
be Critical Fire Weather Conditions across portions of the southeast
plains once again on Thursday.

Cooler and unsettled weather continues into the weekend, with model
data indicating a few more systems digging across the Rockies Friday
and Saturday. Models continue to struggle on the location of this
passing system, with latest NBM bringing pops across the eastern plains,
however, best chances of precipitation will remain over the mountains,
especially along and west of the ContDvd. Latest data does indicate upper
ridging building back across the Rockies bringing warmer and drier
conditions for early next week.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 1030 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

Mainly VFR conditions are expected for all three TAF sites, KCOS,
KPUB, and KALS, for the next 24 hours, though damaging winds and
degraded visibility from blowing snow and dust may also be possible.
There are a few more hours of blowing snow possible off and on at
KALS through 20Z this afternoon, and blowing dust may be possible at
KPUB for the next few hours as well, though confidence was too low
to include in the TAF at this time. The main concern will be the
potential for damaging winds. Gusts in excess of 55kt have been
observed near all three sites. Wind shear may also be possible
overnight if any stations manage to decouple. This looks to be most
likely (though still a low end chance) at KCOS, with both KALS and
KPUB remaining windy all the way down to the surface through the
overnight hours.

&&

.PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST Wednesday for COZ058-
059-061-066-067.
Winter Storm Warning until 11 PM MST Wednesday for COZ060-068.
High Wind Warning until 6 PM MST this evening for COZ069>075-
077>080-083-086>089-093>099.
Winter Weather Advisory until 2 PM MST this afternoon for
COZ072>075.
High Wind Warning until 2 PM MST this afternoon for COZ084-085.
Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MST this evening for COZ226>237.
Fire Weather Watch from Wednesday morning through Wednesday
evening for COZ228>237.

&&

SHORT TERM...MW
LONG TERM...MW
AVIATION...EHR

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
310 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

COZ058>089-093>099-181015-
Western Mosquito Range/East Lake County Above 11000 Feet-
Leadville Vicinity/Lake County Below 11000 Feet-
Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Feet-
Western Chaffee County Between 9000 and 11000 Feet-
Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Feet-
Western Mosquito Range/East Chaffee County Above 9000 Feet-
Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet-
Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet-
La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Feet-
Upper Rio Grande Valley/Eastern San Juan Mountains Below
10000 Feet-Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Feet-
Del Norte Vicinity/Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet-
Alamosa  Vicinity/Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet-
Southern San Luis Valley-
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 And 11000 Feet-
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet-
Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 and 11000 Feet-
Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet-
Northwestern Fremont County Above 8500 Feet-
Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Feet-
Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Feet-
Wet Mountains between 6300 and 10000 Feet-
Wet Mountains Above 10000 Feet-
Teller County/Rampart Range Above 7500 Feet/Pikes Peak Between
7500 And 11000 Feet-Pikes Peak Above 11000 Feet-
Canon City Vicinity/Eastern Fremont County-
Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge/Rampart Range Below
7500 Feet-
Colorado Springs Vicinity/Southern El Paso County/Rampart Range
Below 7400 Feet-Pueblo Vicinity/Pueblo County Below 6300 Feet-
Walsenburg Vicinity/Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Feet-
Trinidad Vicinity/Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Feet-
Crowley County-La Junta Vicinity/Otero County-
Eastern Las Animas County-Western Kiowa County-
Eastern Kiowa County-Las Animas Vicinity/Bent County-
Lamar Vicinity/Prowers County-Springfield Vicinity/Baca County-
310 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east
central...south central and southeast Colorado.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Strong and damaging winds of 65 to 75 mph will continue over the
higher terrain through the day today, with the strongest winds
expected Sangre de Cristo mountains. Strong westerly winds of 55
to 65 mph will spread across the high mountain valleys and the
southeast plains through the morning, and remain gusty through the
afternoon before diminishing into the evening. These winds may
cause difficult travel for light and high profile vehicles. In addition
to strong winds producing Critical Fire Weather conditions across
the plains this afternoon, blowing dust will also be possible, which
could cause sudden drops in visibility and dangerous travel conditions.

Moderate, to at times heavy wind driven snow continues across the
higher terrain of Continental Divide through the day, keeping hazardous
travel conditions in place across the higher terrain. Snow tappers
off this afternoon and evening before picking up again later tonight.
Additional accumulation's of 6 to 12 inches will be possible across
the Southwest mountains, with additional accumulations of 3 to 6 inches
for the higher terrain of Central mountains.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Critical fire weather conditions continue across portions of southeast
Colorado Wednesday and Thursday, as gusty winds and low humidity values
continue across the region.

Another round of moderate to at times, heavy snow continues across
the higher terrain of the Continental Divide on Wednesday, with wind
driven snow, keeping hazardous travel conditions in place over the
mountains.

Snow chances will remain in place across the higher terrain into the
weekend, with the greatest coverage expected along the Continental
Divide.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will
be likely over portions of the region.

23/23

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
1146 AM MST Tue Feb 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1135 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 N Springfield         37.46N 102.62W
02/17/2026  M59 MPH          Baca               CO   AWOS

            AWOS station K8V7 3 N Springfield.

&&

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