Big warm-up ahead for Colorado this week
After a cold start to the day in much of Colorado, sunshine will take over through the day, helping temperatures rebound quickly into the upper 40s and 50s by Saturday afternoon. That rapid warm-up is just the beginning of a bigger shift in the weather pattern.
While conditions improve temperature-wise, another concern develops later Saturday: fire danger.
Dry air combined with increasing winds will bring elevated to critical fire weather conditions, especially across northeastern Colorado. A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., where low humidity and gusty winds could allow fires to start and spread quickly.
This pattern, cool mornings followed by warm, dry afternoons, will stick around and intensify into next week. An upper-level ridge building over the western U.S. will push temperatures well above normal:
- 70s return by Sunday
- 80s likely by Tuesday and Wednesday across the plains
Looking ahead, the next opportunity for precipitation arrives late in the week. A developing system off the West Coast is expected to move inland by Thursday, bringing a cold front through Colorado.
Right now, moisture looks limited for the plains, with only a low chance for rain. The mountains stand a better chance of seeing some precipitation.

