Most of Colorado is under a red flag warning on Sunday until 8 p.m., with wind gusts up to 24 miles-per-hour, increasing the threat of fire.
“The conditions are there for it to be extreme fire conditions,” said Kyle Frieden, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder.
Sunday will be partly sunny with the mercury hitting 67 degrees.
Winds are expected to blow even stronger on Monday, when a high winds warning will be in place from 11 a.m., to 6 p.m., and gusts could reach 47-miles-per-hour.
Gusts could hit 55-miles-per-hour on the northeastern plains.
Dry, windy conditions and warm weather have elevated the possibility of fire in parts of the state. An almost 2,000 acre fire burning north of Wellington grew from about 300 acres when it was first reported Saturday afternoon to nearly 2,000 acres as of 6:15 p.m. The blaze, christened the Cattleman fire, was 85 percent contained by 6:15 p.m., Saturday.
The wind should die down by Tuesday, when the high temperature in Denver will be 54 degrees, and sun will be shining.
Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to be in the mid-60s, before climbing to 72 degrees on Thursday.
Warm weather will continue through Saturday. “We’re above normal temperatures, but it doesn’t look like there is any danger we will set records,” Frieden said.
.
