The weather forecast for the western United States is complicated today. Portions of western Colorado are under both Red Flag Warnings AND Winter Storm Warnings. The southwest and west central part of the state should experience strong southwest winds this afternoon with gusts of 30 to 40 mph with low humidities and isolated thunderstorms. Then after 6 p.m. all that changes, with some areas expecting to receive 10 to 20 inches of snow accompanied by 20 to 30 mph winds with gusts close to 50 mph.
Spring season prescribed fires in the Black Hills of South Dakota are on hold since a Winter Storm Warning is in effect through Wednesday morning. The forecast calls for snow accumulations of 9 to 16 inches with a 100 percent probability of precipitation through Tuesday night. The last time I remember it being 100 percent was a couple of months ago when we got zero precipitation in the southern Black Hills.
The National Weather Service prediction for Tuesday is for up to half an inch to one inch of precipitation in some areas of Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and Texas, while other Red Flag Warnings are in effect for portions of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
