Fire danger will be high in Southwest Colorado today as a trifecta of dry fuels, high winds and low humidity comes into play.
The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning that will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at elevations below 8,000 feet. Winds are forecasted to come from the southwest at a rate of 20 to 25 mph, with gusts up from 45 to 55 mph.
“We’re looking at drier air coming in from the desert Southwest,” said meteorologist Matthew Aleksa with the Grand Junction Office of the National Weather Service. “You can expect blowing dust again with this, too. We’ve also issued a wind advisory for Tuesday afternoon.”
The wind advisory will be in effect from 1 to 10 p.m. today. The weather service suggests drivers use extra caution and recommends that children, the elderly and those with respiratory and heart conditions stay indoors and refrain from heavy exertion because of the wind-blown dust.
“Critical fire weather conditions and the potential for rapid fire spread,” are the result of the weather pattern today, the weather service said in its advisory. “This includes the chance that agricultural burning may escape control efforts, and outdoor burning activities should be postponed.”
Relative humidity levels are predicted to be quite low, from 7 to 12 percent, with some areas as low as 5 percent. Anything at or below 25 percent relative humidity is one of the parameters leading to a red-flag warning.
“A cold front will come through Tuesday afternoon and evening,” Aleksa said. “It will go from the low 80s (today) to low 60s for a high on Wednesday. It will warm up again by the weekend.”
After the cold front goes through, winds will become much lighter, he said. There is a potential for showers next week, but that’s too far out to predict at this point.
abutler@durangoherald.com
