NWS Sets Fire Weather Watch For Monday 4/2 For SW Colorado, All Of New Mexico, W-Central KS

[hatrack]

After a short reprieve following some rain and snow during the past week, fire danger is again rising for southern Colorado.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for the southeast quarter of the state Monday. Gusty west winds up to 40 miles per hours, relative humidity dropping as low as eight percent, and dry fuels will combine to create conditions where any fires that start could spread rapidly.

The watch is likely to convert to a red flag warning as expected conditions are confirmed over the next day. In Colorado, the watch covers all of Baca, Prowers, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Kit Carson, Las Animas, Bent, Otero, Crowley, Lincoln, Costilla, Huerfano, Pueblo, El Paso, Teller, Fremont, Custer and Alamosa counties. Portions of Elbert, Saguache, Rio Grand and Conejos counties are also included. The watch extends to west central Kansas, Oklahoma panhandle, western Texas and nearly all of New Mexico.

Fire risk was elevated Saturday, however cool air streaming into Colorado will lower the danger through Sunday night.

EDIT

https://kiowacountypress.net/content/fire-risk-returns-monday-colorado%E2%80%99s-southern-plains-mountains

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. I was in that area in Feburary.....

And while beautiful, very dry.

[mountain grammy]

2. I'm afraid the red flag warnings will be there all summer.

We've been lucky the last couple of years and we all know it won't last. In northern CO, where I live, we haven't had a major fire in decades and there's still plenty of beetle killed trees standing. Only a matter of time.