First ever PDS Warning Urgent Fire Weather for the Front Range Foothills

[Hannah.Taylor]

This is a first here in Colorado.

45-55 mph winds with gusts from 85-105 mph. Low humidity (12% and lower).

https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=COZ040&warncounty=COC001&firewxzone=COZ240&local_place1=4%20Miles%20E%20Denver%20CO&product1=Red+Flag+Warning&lat=39.7656&lon=-104.804

Denver 9 News Meteorologist Chris Bianci calls this unprecedented by the NWS and for Colorado.

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We already have wildfires burning out in Yuma County near Wray from the winds two days ago that were just as bad that have burned 40,000+ acres.

La Niña is affecting and impacting with insane Chinook winds this year.

 

[Hannah.Taylor]

 

[James K]

I saw the High Wind & Red Flag warnings in my weather app yesterday (and am in the warned area(just not for PDS)).
Then had 9 News on in the evening where they said it was the first time Boulder NWS has a PDS..

Certainly not good to be seeing/hearing stuff like that.

Being that its winter now, 'fire weather' shouldn't even be an issue. (and seems like it used to not be an issue).
They say there really isn't even a 'fire season' here anymore. Guess that's what periods of drought (along with more & more homes/businesses being built in more fire-prone areas) gets you.

 

[Warren Faidley]

This is likely not going to end well. Every pyromaniac in the region is getting ready, just like in CA. If I lived in a fire risk area, I would just take my most valuable possessions (including pets) and leave for the day, or at least be ready to go within minutes. Hoping firefighters stay safe.

 

[James K]

This is likely not going to end well. Every pyromaniac in the region is getting ready, just like in CA. If I lived in a fire risk area, I would just take my most valuable possessions (including pets) and leave for the day, or at least be ready to go within minutes. Hoping firefighters stay safe.

Hate to say it, but with the current forecasts & warnings out there, I will be shocked if I don't see big plooms of smoke off to my northwest this afternoon/evening (I certainly hope thats not the case, but there's a bad situation brewing out there with that potential. Stuff here is extremely dry with the lack of any meaningful precip recently, and that type of wind...)

And the point you bring up with this all over the news... my biggest worry would be just that: Its not so much careless people, but all the crazys out there looking to start something! Xcel energy has already said they are going to preemptively cut power to lines in certain high risk areas (and turn up sensitivity for auto shutdown in others).

While I'm not in the PDS, and in just a 'normal neighborhood'(though we all saw what happened with the Marshall fire a few years ago), and certainly don't expect anything in my area, I will be keeping an eye out, & might even plug in the weather radio. If I was truly worried I'd likely have my computer disconnected & sitting with a collection of stuff ready to throw in the car & go. As for my 'pets', nothing I could do...you can't just pick up aquariums full of fish!

 

[Hannah.Taylor]

This just in from the Boulder County Sheriffs Office

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[James K]

This just in from the Boulder County Sheriffs Office

It wouldn't let me see that without being logged in, but pretty sure its the same one they showed on 9News tonight.

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Nothing more than light breezes where I am today, guess the mountain-wave didn't set up far enough east to get this area (thankfully)...
But up around Boulder, they got blasted.
And one thing I'm really glad to say is even with all that wind they got, I didn't see any smoke up that way! Nor did I hear anything about wildfires today.