169 FXUS65 KPUB 221746 AFDPUBArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 1146 AM MDT Mon Sep 22 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Warm today, with primary cold front pushing through during the early evening hours.
- Most precip today will occur along and north of US50 this evening.
- A few strong/marginally svr storms over far eastern plains mainly this evening.
- Accumulating snow is expected at mtn tops tonight, mainly north of US50.
- Cooler pattern in store for Tuesday and Wednesday, with meaningful rain and snow chances chances likely across much of the area.
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... Issued at 252 AM MDT Mon Sep 22 2025
Today...
Overall, another warm day is anticipated in advance of a potent short wave which is fcst to push into NW CO late today. The plains will remain mainly dry through today, with the exception of EL Paso county likely seeings some storms by late afternoon. The primary front should cross over the Palmer Divide shortly after 6 pm this evening per latest hi res guidance.
For the hi terrain, isold to sctd storms will initiate by early afternoon and progress east through the afternoon hours.
Tonight...
Overall best chance of storms all areas will be along and north of US50, with most of the activity occurring during the evening hours. With instability limited over the I-25 corridor, storms are not expected to become strong to severe, however farther east where somewhat better instability is anticipated (500-1000 J), we may see a few strong to severe storms will be possible.
Given the potency of the short wave, Scattered showers and storms will likely last through the night over the region, with a majority of the activity occurring north and along US50. /Hodanish
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.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 252 AM MDT Mon Sep 22 2025
Tomorrow..
A secondary cold push across our plains on Tuesday will keep breezy north winds and precipitation chances over much of the area throughout the day tomorrow, along with well below normal temperatures. Daytime highs look to remain firmly in the 60s for all of the I-25 corridor and our mountain valleys, with 50s over the Palmer Divide and low 70s over our far eastern plains. With temperatures this cool, embedded thunderstorm activity will be very minimal, though there will still be slight chances for thunder on Tuesday, mainly over our southern mountains, southern I-25 corridor, and portions of the eastern plains. Precipitation is more likely to fall as steady rainfall over our plains and mountain valleys, with extensive cloud cover remaining over the region throughout the day. Snow will also continue, mainly above 10,000ft. Accumulations of 4 to 6 inches at the most will be possible, mainly for the very top of Pikes Peak, along with the highest peaks of the central mountains.
Tuesday Night and Wednesday.
We begin to clear out slowly from west to east throughout the evening and overnight hours of Tuesday night into Wednesday. The speed of this clearing will determine the extent of cooling for Tuesday night, especially over our mountain valleys. If we clear quickly, frost, and possibly even sub-freezing temperatures, will be possible for the San Luis Valley Tuesday night. Models pull the positively tilted trough axis across our forecast area by the early morning hours of Wednesday, leaving us in northerly flow aloft for the remainder of the day. Daytime highs look to remain around 8 to 10 degrees cooler than normal for Wednesday, though with ridging beginning to build in from the west and skies beginning to clear, we will be a few degrees warmer than Tuesday. Temperatures are likely to top out in the mid to upper 60s over El Paso County and our mountain adjacent plains, with low to mid 70s for the rest of the plains. Showers and thunderstorms will be sparse, but still possible over and near our mountains through the afternoon hours. We`ll see another of round frost possibilities over the San Luis Valley Wednesday night into Thursday morning as well.
Thursday Onwards..
Near normal temperatures and mostly dry conditions look to return for Thursday and Friday as ridging moves back over the region. Models bring a low onshore over California through this period, though they struggle to agree on its path from Thursday onwards. There also seems to be some measure of disagreement on the possibility that we could see some moisture under the ridge and ahead of the low, at least for our mountains, by this weekend, as said low moves inland eventually. Ensemble guidance does suggest that pwats may be above seasonal normals by this weekend, at least for our mountains.
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.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1145 AM MDT Mon Sep 22 2025
KALS: Increasing cloud cover and west winds will pick up into this afternoon. Showers with a few embedded thunderstorms are expected to move into the valley by 22Z or so, with a chance of storms impacting the terminal through about 03Z tonight. Gusty outflow winds 25-30 knots and MVFR cigs will be possible, with very brief periods of lowered vis. Showers will move in and out of the area towards 06Z tonight, warranting a PROB30 group for rain showers. Some models show a chance of low clouds into Tuesday morning, but confidence isn`t high enough to include in this round of TAFs, so left SCT050 into the early morning hours.
KCOS and KPUB: A cold front will move into the area from the north this afternoon, bringing gusty winds around 25-30 knots, mid-level clouds, and widespread showers and thunderstorms. Coverage will be scattered through the afternoon and into early evening, but if a storm does move over the terminal, expect wind gusts to 30 knots or more along with MVFR cigs. Shower coverage increases tonight, with rain showers expected through Tuesday morning. Breezy north winds will continue through most of this forecast period. There is a low- end chance for some low clouds early Tuesday morning, but current confidence is low enough to keep cigs and MVFR through the morning, though some high-end IFR is not out of the question for a few hours.
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.PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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SHORT TERM...HODANISH LONG TERM...EHR AVIATION...GARBEROGLIO
NWS PUB Office Area Forecast Discussion