Extreme Wind + 10% Humidity Trigger Widespread Fire Warning Across Western Colorado
The wind is coming back. And after the last couple of weeks, that's about the last thing firefighters across Western Colorado needed to hear.
Friday is basically the warm-up act. The weekend is when things get ugly.
Friday Still Has a Few Tricks Left
The National Weather Service says isolated afternoon thunderstorms will pop up Friday, mainly from the Continental Divide eastward. Some storms could bring rain. Others might bring something much less helpful: dry lightning.
That's the kind that sparks a fire without dropping enough water to put it out. Add in gusty outflow winds, and you've got the recipe nobody around Grand Junction wants to see this time of year.
Meanwhile, places farther west, including eastern Utah and Colorado's western edge, stay hot, dry, and increasingly windy. Red Flag Warnings are already in effect Friday afternoon for much of that area.
The Weekend Is the Real Story
Saturday and Sunday look rough.
A storm system moving through the northwest will crank southwest winds into the 40 to 50 mph range across much of eastern Utah and Western Colorado while humidity drops to around 10 percent. That's about as close to throwing gasoline on the weather as Mother Nature gets.
Those conditions can turn a small fire into a major incident in a hurry. Any lightning strike that finds dry grass or brush could become a problem long before crews can reach it.
If you've driven across the open country between Fruita and the Utah state line during one of these wind events, you already know. Tumbleweeds aren't rolling because they're having fun.
Read More: The Western Slope’s Easy Guide to Colorado Fire Restrictions
Don't Be the Reason the Scanner Lights Up
This isn't the weekend for burn piles, campfires outside designated areas, or dragging trailer chains that throw sparks.
The forecast keeps the region dry and breezy into Monday, although winds should ease a bit compared to the weekend.
We've already seen enough smoke on the horizon this summer. Nobody's looking to add another column to it.
Scroll Through Colorado's Worst Tornadoes Ever Recorded
Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde