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3w ago

Record Warmth, Critical Fire Weather and Mountain Snow Hit Colorado and New Mexico

A sharp plains-to-peaks split brings critical fire weather below 6,000 feet alongside dangerous mountain snowfall.

Temperatures about to soar with highs challenging records later this week
A woman walks on a bridge over the Russian River during heavy rain near Monte Rio in Sonoma County, California on February 6, 2025.
A woman stands in the morning sun as she visits Twin Peaks during a warm spell last September. The city is surprisingly warm this week as a Pineapple Express brings warm air, as well as rain prospects.
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Overview

  • Red Flag Warnings return Wednesday for the Denver metro and parts of the southern Colorado plains, with gusts up to 45–50 mph and relative humidity near or below 15%.
  • High Wind Warnings in the Front Range mountains and foothills have produced gusts up to 85 mph, with strong downslope winds continuing into Wednesday.
  • Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories are in effect for the northern and central Colorado mountains, where 8–16 inches of wind-driven snow is possible and avalanche danger is elevated to 4 out of 5.
  • Record or record-tying highs were hit or forecast on the plains, including Denver near 71°F, Colorado Springs and Pueblo in the 70s, and eastern New Mexico pushing the upper 80s with ongoing fire danger.
  • Forecasts call for a brief cooldown Thursday–Friday with lingering breezes, a renewed weekend warmup likely to challenge records, and the next broader rain and mountain snow chance around the middle of next week.