Several days of fire danger are forecast for Colorado this week, but chances of snow will return to the state — including the Denver area — by Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
As of Sunday morning, red flag warnings were in effect for parts of the Front Range, Eastern Plains and southern Colorado, . The — which will remain in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday — included Baca, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Crowley, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Gilpin, Huerfano, Jefferson, Kiowa, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Otero, Park, Prowers, Pueblo, Teller, Washington and Weld counties.
Wind gusts up to 35 mph and humidity as low as 7% were forecast for the state, according to the weather service.
“Elevated fire danger is expected,” weather service forecasters out of Pueblo wrote in one of the warnings. “Fires will catch and spread rapidly and erratically.”
Fire danger is expected to continue into Monday as warm, dry and windy weather continues, .
As of Sunday, Monday fire weather watches were already in place for Clear Creek, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Lincoln, Park, Washington and Weld counties, . Those watches may turn into new red flag warnings.
The weather pattern is expected to shift Tuesday, with better chances for rain in the Denver area and snow in the mountains, . Dry and windy conditions are expected to return on Wednesday and Thursday, but snow will be possible in the mountains and metro area on Friday and Saturday.
