Forecasters are calling for high fire danger in nearly all of Colorado early this week — especially Monday — as low relative humidity and very warm, gusty winds are expected.
A red flag warning is in effect from noon Monday to 6 p.m. for Elbert , Douglas and Lincoln counties, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.
A warning is also in effect from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for Teller, Fremont, El Paso, Pueblo, Crowley, Otero, Las Animas, Kiowa, Bent, Prowers and Baca counties.
The weather service’s Grand Junction office is also calling for high fire danger in the northwest and southwest corners of the state on Monday.
Lake and Chaffee counties are also expected to experience high fire danger on Monday, the service’s Grand Junction office shows.
The combined conditions have the potential to create “critical wildland fire behavior,” the weather service says.
“Very warm and gusty southwest winds and dry conditions will have the potential to produce large fire growth and rapid fire spread particularly on open rangeland,” the service said in a bulletin. “Critical conditions will most likely exist during the latter half of (Monday) afternoon.”
Forecasters are on Monday.
Denver is expected Wednesday to see temperatures drop a bit to the upper 50s and mid-60s as a potential storm moves in Wednesday night, forecasters say.
Rain or snow is possible through Thursday night in Denver with temperatures hovering in the 30s and 40s.
Friday and Saturday in Denver should bring mostly cloudy skies with moderate temperatures, according to forecasters.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul
