Colorado Weather: Damaging Wind Through Wednesday Afternoon, Travel Discouraged
DENVER (CBS4) - Hurricane force wind will rock Colorado on Wednesday causing the possibility for downed trees, scattered power outages, property damage, and blowing dust in the metro area. The mountains, foothills, and the Palmer Divide will experience snow squalls that drop visibility to zero.
For the Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins areas, a few rain or snow showers in the morning will quickly end giving way to very gusty winds for the remainder of the day. There is a High Wind Warning in effect through 5 p.m. Wednesday that includes virtually every location in Colorado along and east of the Continental Divide.
Maximum wind gusts in the metro area will reach 60-80 mph and similar gusts are expected on the Eastern Plains. Sustained winds will be as high as 50 mph.
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The strongest wind will be found in the foothills of Jefferson, Boulder, and Larimer Counties where gusts could reach up to 100 mph.
In the mountains, the combination of wind and snow will create dangerous driving conditions.
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Almost all mountain areas in the state are under a Winter Weather Advisory or Winter Storm Warning through Wednesday evening. Travel should be avoided in the mountains whenever possible and many ski areas will have difficulty keeping lifts and gondolas operating.
Much calmer and drier weather will arrive Wednesday night and it will be quiet across most of Colorado on Thursday. The metro area will also be noticeably warmer before a cold front brings chilly weather for Friday. The mountains will get some light snow Thursday night into Friday while the metro area remains dry.
