Denver and northeast Colorado could be in a nice, sunny weather doughnut over the next few days, courtesy of the Alaska’s arctic storm.
Forecasters expect high wind in the foothills all along the length of Colorado’s Front Range and snow in the high country, including the potential for a blizzard in the northern mountains.
Westerly winds are expected to kick up in the foothills — between 6,000 and 9,000 feet — Friday afternoon and pick up overnight through Saturday morning, packing 70 mph gusts, the National Weather Service said this afternoon.
“Travel across north-to-south highways and roads will be very difficult due to strong and gusty cross winds,” forecasters warned in a 3:30 p.m. bulletin, “especially along the Peak to Peak Highway and (Colorado) Highway 93 from Golden to Boulder.”
High country travelers are being urged to use extra caution, because of icy roads and blinding winds packed with snow.
Wind gusts of 30 mph in northwest Colorado Saturday raise blizzard concerns, coupled with an expected 8 to 16 inches of snow, “with higher amounts possible” in the Yampa River basin by Sunday afternoon, forecasters said.
High wind and 9 percent humidity on Colorado’s far Eastern Plains this afternoon created the potential for “explosive growth” in wildfires, forecasters said. The region, including Burlington, Kit Carson, Flagler and Cheyenne Wells.
Low humidities and 30 mph wind gusts are expected to persist through Saturday.
Denver should enjoy sunny weather, with highs near 60 Friday and Saturday, with breezes 3 to 11 mph, according to the Weather Service.
Highs in the 50s and sunny skies in the metro region are expected well into next week.
