We’re expecting a dry and mild Valentine’s Day weekend after some brief rounds of light rain on the plains and light snow in the mountains Friday.
High pressure is building into Colorado, which will bring mostly clear skies with occasional high-level clouds.
Saturday afternoon temperatures will run above seasonal averages, with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s across the Denver metro area and eastern plains.
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The weather should cooperate with Valentine’s Day plans Saturday evening, whether that includes outdoor dining, a stroll downtown or a mountain getaway.
Sunday is expected to stay quiet with a mix of sun passing clouds.
Afternoon highs will be well average normal with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s.
DENVER — The Mile High City is experiencing one of its warmest winters on record.
While people are enjoying t-shirt weather and outdoor dining in February, experts are also warning of increased wildfire risks.
This winter has been undeniably different for Denver — and the numbers tell the story. The Denver7 Weather Team says Denver has recorded 29 days at 60 degrees or above this winter. That’s only behind the winter of 1981, which saw 34 such days.
Denver7 spoke with Bernie Meier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder, who explained what’s driving the unusual weather pattern.
“There’s been a dome of high pressure over the western part of the country, and so that pushes the storm track across Montana, northern part of the country, and even into Canada,” Meier said.
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Meanwhile, Meier cautioned against attributing this single season to climate change.
“If you start stacking seasons like this on top of each other, or having five out of 10 years or 7 out of 15 years, then, yeah, maybe you can start pointing towards, more specifically, climate change. But kind of a one-year wonder here, you really can’t pinpoint on that one thing alone,” Meier said.
He emphasized that this weather pattern does come with significant risks.
Those risks are something South Metro Fire Rescue is monitoring every day.
“I mean, even myself, I’m really enjoying the warm temperatures right now, but that does pose the risk of wildfire,” said Matthew Assell, public information officer for South Metro.
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Saturday is expected to bring breezy conditions with abnormally low humidity and dry conditions — a combination that heightens fire danger.
The fire rescue’s message to the community is clear: Enjoy the weather but stay vigilant.
“Don’t let the potential danger hold you back, but just keep in mind that what you may normally consider safe in February might not be safe right now,” Assell said.
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DENVER — Friday’s strong winds made for a bumpy start to the December holiday travel season at Denver International Airport.
FlightAware reported more than 1,200 delays at DIA Friday—the most nationwide—along with more than 80 cancellations.
FlightAware
DEN led FlightAware’s ‘Misery Map’ tracking delays and cancellations at U.S. airports on Friday.
Daniel Katz flew in from South Florida, trying to get to Steamboat Springs for two weeks of skiing and holiday fun. But his connecting flight was delayed several hours, leaving him stranded at the airport.
Katz also said the turbulence was pretty rough on his way into Denver.
“The turbulence was crazy,” he said. “My mom was holding on to me and, like, freaking out. And I said, ‘Everything will be okay.’ I made a quick prayer, and we landed fine.”
Aviation expert Steve Cowell knows strong downslope wind days like Friday aren’t fun for passengers or pilots.
“You’re sitting there in the cockpit, you know, and things are rattling around, and it’s just, it’s just an uncomfortable situation,” he said.
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Hurricane-force winds barrel through Boulder, toppling trees & closing roadways
Cowell likened air flow over the Rocky Mountains to water flowing over rocks in a stream, saying that unpredictable movement can lead to turbulence even on days without extreme winds.
“We live in a place where, you know, sometimes it’s just not comfortable in departing and arriving,” he said. “That’s just the way it is, and that’s because of the terrain.”
Several pilots reported moderate-to-severe or even severe turbulence Friday.
The Federal Aviation Administration defines turbulence as ‘severe’ when it “causes large, abrupt changes in altitude and/or attitude. It usually causes large variations in indicated airspeed. Aircraft may be momentarily out of control.”
Cowell says those reports can be subjective, but valuable to pilots when they take several reports into account.
“Depending on those reports, that may determine whether they divert, that may determine whether they delay their flight, that may determine the speed that they’re going to descend,” he explained.
Cowell added while that level of turbulence is still not enough to damage a plane, pilots try to take off and land into the wind when possible, and nasty crosswinds take away some runway options for take-off, leading to lots of delays.
DIA expects more than 750,000 passengers to pass through security at the airport from through next weekend, with the busiest travel days projected to be Dec. 23, Dec. 27 and Dec. 28.
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DENVER (KDVR) — Temperatures will be closer to seasonal averages on Tuesday, with some spotty afternoon and evening showers along the Front Range in the Denver weather forecast.
Weather today: Extra clouds, evening shower
The Front Range will see extra clouds on Tuesday, with cooler, but more seasonal, highs in the lower 60s.
There could be some spotty afternoon or evening showers, but they won’t linger long.
Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on April 23
Weather tonight: Partly cloudy
After an early shower, there will be extra clouds overnight. Low temperatures will dip into the low 40s with light winds.
Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on April 23
Looking ahead: Spring showers, cooler weekend
Wednesday will be another mild afternoon with warmer highs in the middle 70s and mainly sunny skies.
Thursday has partly to mainly sunny skies with mild highs that make it to the middle 70s. There is a chance for a quick shower later on Thursday.
Pinpoint Weather: Rain accumulation by April 28
Friday brings more clouds into the forecast with highs in the upper 60s. Friday afternoon will have showers later in the afternoon that will linger overnight.
Showers stick around through most of Saturday, as highs are cooler in the upper 50s. This could bring some great moisture to the state.
Pinpoint Weather 7-day forecast for Denver on April 23
Sunday will have clearing skies throughout the day with seasonal highs in the lower 60s.
Plenty of sunshine is back for the start of next week with warmer highs in the lower 70s.
DENVER (KDVR) — After some morning showers in the metro, winds will be breezy through the rest of the day Tuesday with just above-average temperatures in the Denver weather forecast.
Weather today: Breezy winds
Cloudy skies and some morning showers will start the day around the Front Range. Clearing will take place through the afternoon.
Highs will top out in the middle 60s as winds pick up.
Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on April 16
High wind warnings are in effect across the plains until Tuesday evening, with winds at 30-45 mph and even higher gusts.
Pinpoint Weather: High wind warnings on April 16
Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories end in the mountains in the early afternoon with the snow tapering through the evening.
Pinpoint Weather: Winter weather advisories on April 16
Weather tonight: Partly cloudy
A few clouds push in by Tuesday night, giving way to partly cloudy skies and mild lows in the lower 40s.
Winds will be noticeably lighter out of the southwest at 5-10 mph.
Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on April 16
Looking ahead: Temperatures swing up and down, shower chances
Sunshine is back on Wednesday with mild highs in the lower 70s.
Clouds move back in the forecast for Thursday with the chance for a late shower and much cooler highs in the upper 40s.
Friday morning has partly cloudy skies before some showers push in for the evening. Highs on Friday make it to the middle 50s.
Showers linger overnight, and there could be a few snowflakes by Saturday morning.
Pinpoint Weather 7-day forecast for Denver on April 16
Saturday is cooler with highs in the lower 50s with early showers and clouds through the afternoon.
Sunday brings the sunshine back and seasonal temperatures in the middle 60s. Denver gets back to the lower 70s on Monday with mostly sunny skies.
DENVER (KDVR) — Plenty of sunshine will stick around to finish off the workweek as highs climb into the upper 70s in the Denver weather forecast.
Weather today: Warm and sunny
Mostly sunny skies will be seen across a majority of Colorado on Friday before clouds push in from the southwest this evening.
Afternoon highs should be the warmest of the year, hitting the upper 70s.
Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on April 12
Weather tonight: Extra clouds
Clouds will linger overnight with light winds. Low temperatures by Friday night will only dip into the upper 40s.
Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on April 12
Looking ahead: Warm before rain next week
The weekend looks nice with warm temperatures and mostly clear skies.
Saturday looks to be comfortable with highs making it to the upper 70s with a light breeze.
Skies look sunnier on Sunday with a stronger wind and possibly the first 80-degree day of the year.
Pinpoint Weather: Weekend forecast for April 13-14
Monday will still be mild with highs in the low 70s and increasing clouds. Later on Monday evening, rain can move in and linger into the first half of Tuesday.
Tuesday is still above average with highs in the upper 60s and cloudy skies.
Pinpoint Weather 7-day forecast for Denver on April 12
Wednesday is clear in the morning, but clouds build in through the day with highs in the middle 60s. Spotty showers are possible late Wednesday and into Thursday.
Thursday is partly cloudy with below-average highs in the lower 50s.
DENVER (KDVR) — Sunshine moves back into Denver’s weather forecast for the start of the workweek.
This will contribute to a rise in temperatures to the 50s on Monday, then 60s for the rest of the week.
Weather tonight: Cloudy, seasonal
Clouds will linger Sunday night as temperatures fall to the mid to upper 20s, which is right in line with normal for this time of year.
Weather tomorrow: Sunny, seasonal
Monday, sunshine returns to the forecast. This will help to boost high temperatures to the upper 50s.
Looking ahead: Sunny and warmer workweek
Tuesday, the warming trend continues. High temperatures will climb into the 60s alongside plenty of sunshine.
Highs will stay in the mid-60s for the rest of the week and even into the start of the weekend. This will be followed by the next chance for showers, which is on track to move in Saturday and Sunday.
DENVER (KDVR) — A Pinpoint Weather Alert Day continues Thursday for more heavy, wet snow that continues to fall in Denver weather and across Colorado.
Winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings continue until Friday morning. Snowfall totals in the Denver metro are forecast to accumulate to over 10 inches, and 1-3 feet of total snowfall is expected for the foothills and toward the Palmer Divide. This will lead to hazardous driving conditions from Thursday evening through Monday morning.
Weather tonight: Snowfall thinning
Thursday evening, snowfall rates will start to slow down. Low temperatures will stay cool but seasonal and drop to the mid-20s.
Weather tomorrow: Snow clearing
Friday morning, snow showers will wrap up. Denver will be left with a mainly cloudy sky and a high of around 40 degrees.
Looking ahead: Weekend sunshine
Just in time for the weekend, sunshine returns to the forecast. Temperatures on both days will start in the mid-20s and then climb to a high in the upper 40s, which is almost 10 degrees colder than normal for this time of year.
Sunshine continues for the start of the workweek and will help keep a warming trend going. Highs by Monday will be seasonal and reach the upper 50s, ahead of 60s on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
DENVER (KDVR) — Snow will continue to fall over the Front Range and foothills Thursday, impacting travel through Friday morning in the Denver weather forecast.
Weather today: Snow all day long
This snow will stick around through the rest of Thursday with lasting travel impacts. Temperatures will hover right above the freezing mark with a brisk wind at 10-20 mph.
Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on March 14
Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories will remain in effect through 6 a.m. on Friday. The map includes snowstorm totals.
Weather tonight: Snow tapers off
The snow will start to taper off Thursday night with lower snowfall rates after sunset. Lows stay in the upper 20s with winds slowing as well.
Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on March 14
Looking ahead: Clearing and warming over the weekend
The snow will end on Friday in the Front Range at around sunrise with gradual clearing into the mid-afternoon. Highs will be cool in the low 40s, but some melting will begin.
The weekend looks comfortable with more sunshine in the forecast as highs make it into the upper 40s on Saturday and Sunday.
Pinpoint Weather 7-day forecast on March 14
Denver kicks off the next week with just above-average highs in the upper 50s and sunny skies on Monday.
Tuesday and Wednesday continue the mainly sunny skies with comfy highs in the low 60s.
DENVER (KDVR) — Sunshine and a warming trend move into Denver’s weather just in time for the weekend.
Weather tonight: Clearing, chilly
Lingering snow showers will end Friday evening from north to south. This will be followed by clearing clouds and chilly temperatures falling to a low of around 20 degrees.
Weather tomorrow: Sunny, seasonal
Sunshine returns to the forecast Saturday. This will help temperatures climb to the low-to-mid 50s, which is right in line with normal for this time of year.
Looking ahead: Warmer end to the weekend, next chance for showers
On Sunday, sunshine and an uptick in a southwesterly breeze will keep a warming trend going. Highs will climb to the low-to-mid-60s, which is about 10 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year.
On Monday, a weak system will bring the chance for snow to the high country. This will push in a few more clouds in the Denver area, but westerly flow will aid in keeping temperatures about 10 degrees above average.
The next big change moves in Tuesday night into Wednesday. A cold front will move across the state not only dropping temperatures, but bringing in the next chance for rain and snow.
DENVER (KDVR) — Clouds will increase throughout the day on Wednesday with mild temperatures, however, a change is coming. Rain and snow arrive Thursday into Friday in the Denver weather forecast.
Weather today: Building clouds
Clouds will slowly increase on Wednesday with a small chance for a mountain snow shower and an evening sprinkle along the plains.
Highs on Wednesday will be above average in the upper 50s.
Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on March 6 (KDVR)
Weather tonight: Cloudy skies
Clouds continue to increase through Wednesday night with mild lows that dip into the lower 30s.
Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on March 6
Looking ahead: Rain and snow before a weekend warmup
Thursday has cloudy skies and cooler temperatures in the upper 40s.
Snow will arrive after noon on Thursday in the mountains and foothills, with rain showers in the Front Range in the early evening.
Denver will see a swap to snow overnight and into Friday morning. Snow will then taper off into early Friday afternoon with minimal accumulation in the metro. Denver could see an inch or two, but some of that accumulation will melt.
Pinpoint Weather: Winter weather watch on March 8
The foothills have a winter storm watch in effect and could see 3-11 inches of accumulation.
The Palmer Divide could see 2-4 inches of snow.
The morning commute on Friday could be slick in spots.
Highs in the upper 30s on Friday will also allow for some partial melting.
Pinpoint Weather 7-day forecast for Denver on March 6
More melting continues over the weekend with mostly sunny skies on Saturday as highs hit the low 50s.
Sunday is even warmer with temperatures in the low 60s with mainly sunny skies. Don’t forget to turn your clocks forward on Sunday morning.
The abundant sunshine sticks around for the start of next week with highs staying in the lower 60s.
DENVER — The Colorado State Patrol is advising drivers to avoid Interstate 70 and US 40 in the high country this weekend as a major winter storm prepares to bear down on the mountains.
Slick travel conditions can be expected through the mountains, with limited visibility due to blowing snow and wind gusts of up to 75 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The CSP said the extreme conditions, beginning Saturday evening and continuing into Sunday, will make it difficult for CDOT snow removal crews. The most impacted roadways will be Berthoud pass and Eisenhower and Vail Passes, CSP said.
“Please avoid making unnecessary trips in these areas. Stranded motorists present additional challenges and dangers to our CDOT crews, law enforcement and the motorists themselves,” CSP said in a news release.
Although Colorado’s mountains can expect snow, Denver and the Eastern Plains should see only periods of light rain and snow mix starting Sunday through Monday.
Today’s Forecast
Denver weather: “Extreme fire behavior” on Saturday as warning goes in effect
DENVER (KDVR) – Most of Colorado will see mainly sunny skies on Saturday, helping to melt the snow picked up last night.
Weather today: Mostly sunny, cool
After a few inches of snow last night, all of Colorado will see mainly sunny skies helping to melt some of the snow. Highs are below average in the upper 30s for the Front Range with light winds.
Weather tonight: Clear skies, chilly
The skies will be clear tonight as lows dip back to the 20-degree mark. Winds stay light and there could be some refreezing in a few spots.
Looking ahead: Warming and dry
Clouds will build in for Sunday with light snow in the mountains. Snow totals only look to be an inch or two, but fresh snow is always great for the high country. Highs in Denver on Sunday are above average in the lower 50s. Highs will flirt with 60 degrees on Monday afternoon with mostly sunny skies.
Tuesday is the warmest day of the week with highs in the middle 60s and mainly sunny skies. Clouds will increase on Wednesday with light snow in the mountains. Denver could see an evening rain shower after highs hit the low 60s. We could see a swap to snow into Thursday morning, but it will clear through the day with highs near the 50 degree mark. Friday brings back sunshine with mild highs in the low 50s.