Extreme winds sweeping across the Front Range on Saturday caused power outages and fueled fires, including an apartment complex fire in Denver.
Denver fire crews responded to a multifamily apartment fire at TAVA Waters near Mississippi Avenue and South Valentia Street on Saturday afternoon, the Denver Fire Department
No injuries were reported, but powerful winds quickly escalated the situation to a two-alarm fire as Denver crews called for backup, the fire department stated.
Heavy flames and multiple collapses within the apartment building weakened its structural integrity and forced firefighters into a defensive strategy, according to the fire department.
— Denver Fire Department (@Denver_Fire)
For the foothills, mountains and plains, powerful winds of up to 100 mph threatened property and tree damage throughout the day, .
Areas impacted by the weekend’s high winds include the foothills, the Interstate 25 corridor and all of the Eastern Plains, . Saturday’s wind speeds were expected to continue strengthening throughout the afternoon and overnight before beginning to slow down in most areas about noon Sunday.
Wind gusts are expected to peak overnight in the 60 to 65 mph range in Denver, the 75 to 80 mph range in the foothills west of the city and the 80 to 85 mph range in the Boulder and Estes Park areas, according to the weather service.
The full magnitude of the winds will depend on the track of the incoming storm, forecasters , but there remains “some threat of 100 mph winds in/near the Front Range foothills.”
As of 5:30 p.m., a 100 mph gust had not been recorded, and at 85 mph in Buckeye — an unincorporated community in Larimer County.
Several other Front Range gusts had reached 75 to 80 mph Saturday afternoon, according to data from the weather service. Wind speeds in Denver were at 5:30 p.m., with gusts reaching higher than 40 mph.
“We’ve only just begun,” the .
Because of the high winds and fire danger conditions across the state, Xcel Energy preemptively cut power to 55,000 customers in parts of Boulder, Gilpin, Larimer, Douglas, Broomfield and Jefferson counties.
Xcel is facing hundreds of lawsuits after investigators concluded one of the company’s powerlines helped spark the wind-driven Marshall fire in Boulder County in 2021; the utility has disputed that conclusion.
High winds also brought about highway safety closures and restrictions, according to the .
At 1:30 p.m., the at Wellington in northern Colorado — 5 miles north of Fort Collins — to all high-profile vehicles and light trailers.
Strong — and still strengthening — winds shut down the interstate completely in both directions three hours later at 4:25 p.m., closing I-25 from Wellington to the Wyoming state line, .
Huerfano and Las Animas counties , banning travel for all high-profile vehicles and light trailers in the counties. Drivers may be ticketed for ignoring the restrictions.
Wind also impacted travel in the mountains as it blew around falling snow and snow on the ground, decreasing visibility for travelers, according to forecasters.
In the mountains, a winter weather advisory remains in place through 6 a.m. Sunday because of blowing and drifting snow. Poor travel conditions are expected along the Interstate 70 corridor through the mountains, .
New snow accumulation of 2 to 5 inches is expected through Sunday morning, and mountain winds will be strongest along and east of the Front Range Peaks from the Eisenhower Tunnel through the Indian Peaks and Rocky Mountain National Park, .
As of 6 p.m. Saturday, areas in the northern mountains — including Hayden and Steamboat Springs — had recorded more than 5 inches of snow, and cities along the I-70 corridor measured 1 to 3 inches of snowfall Saturday, .
On the eastern side of the state, blowing dust presents many of the same issues as snow when the wind kicks up, according to . Drivers should be prepared for rapid changes in visibility on the Eastern Plains.
Snow initially was expected in Denver but moved out of the forecast quickly to make room for cloudy skies and extreme winds, forecasters said.
Despite the wind, high temperatures in Denver peaked at 50 degrees Saturday and will sink to 35 degrees overnight, . Sunday will see a high of 59 degrees before temperatures drop to 32 degrees for the night.
Wind speeds in the city overall will die down overnight Saturday, but the strength of the wind gusts will increase, according to weather forecasters. Northwest winds should continue in the 20 mph to 30 mph range on Sunday, with gusts up to 48 mph before the windstorm starts to die down around noon.
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