DENVER (KDVR) — Snow is falling in the mountains and a freeze is expected in the metro, and at the same time, there are red flag warnings in the eastern half of Colorado. While this may seem like an unlikely combination, the Pinpoint Weather team said it’s not that uncommon.
Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Travis Michels said it just has to be dry and windy for enhanced fire danger.
Wildfire season is typically in the summer months, when there’s usually a bigger gap between the temperature and the dew point, Michels said. This gap is what measures the relative humidity — how dry it is in the area.
Michels said wildfires are more likely to occur in the summer when it’s hot, but cold air technically holds less moisture, making it dry. With drought conditions and wind, wildfires can spark at any time. Colorado’s most destructive wildfire in state history, the Marshall Fire, sparked in the winter on Dec. 30, 2021.
On Monday, snow is falling on Interstate 70, and a freeze is expected in Denver, but it’s still dry and windy, causing red flag warnings to be in effect for the Denver metro area from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Pinpoint Weather team said winds are expected to reach 25-35 mph and gusts up to 55 mph.
Xcel Energy is preparing amid the fire risks in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas and Broomfield counties and parts of Boulder, Jefferson, Park, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties. Xcel officials in a Sunday press release said the energy company is preparing for critical fire weather amid a “rapidly evolving situation.”
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
