Weather conditions creating hazardous fire conditions have settled above Southwest Colorado and are expected to persist into next week.
Another red flag warning was issued for Southwest Colorado and southeast Utah from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday. A red flag warning was in effect for the same area on Sunday and a fire warning watch was in effect Monday.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there’s rain in the forecast any time soon,” said Erin Walter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.
Walter said a high-pressure system is expected to keep skies mostly clear and humidity low through Thursday. On Thursday and Friday, a low-pressure system is expected to push the high pressure ridge to the east, but the low pressure system is expected to bring rain and snow mostly north of Colorado.
Some northern Colorado mountains might get some snow out of the system later this week, Walter said.
After Friday, Walter said another high-pressure system is expected to move into the region, and that likely will keep hazardous fire conditions in place well into next week.
Before a red flag warning is called, the Weather Service has to see wind gusts of 25 mph or greater for a three-hour period with a relative humidity of 15% or less. Walter said the Weather Service also works with fire fuels specialists with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in determining the area to be covered by a red flag warning.
Wednesday looks like winds might not be strong enough to issue a red flag warning, but winds could be strong enough to issue red flag warnings on Thursday and later in the week, Walter said.
“Winds will be the game changer (in issuing red flag warnings). Obviously, the humidity is not going to change much and the status of the fuels is not going to change much,” she said.
The spate of warmer, sunny weather has also eaten into Southwest Colorado’s snowpack.
According to Colorado SNOTEL, snowpack in Southwest Colorado, including the Animas, Dolores, San Juan and San Miguel rivers, is down to 82% of the 30-year average as of Tuesday.
parmijo@durangoherald.com