An extreme weather day is on tap across Colorado on Tuesday, due to high winds that will bring extreme fire danger to the eastern half of the state and hazardous winter conditions to the mountains. Here’s what you need to know.

High winds and fire danger

A Red Flag Warning has been issued Tuesday across the eastern half of Colorado due to extreme fire danger.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued the warning, which is in effect from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and covers all of the Interstate 25 corridor and all of Colorado’s Eastern Plains.

The weather service has also issued a High Wind Warning and warns that winds will be out of the west at 30 to 40 mph on Tuesday, with gusts up to 55 to 65 mph. Meanwhile, relative humidity is as low as 10% and there are also very dry fuels available due to the warm dry conditions Colorado has had this winter.

Meteorologists advise Coloradans to follow burn ban restrictions Tuesday to avoid creating any sparks. This includes properly discarding of cigarettes and avoiding driving on dry grass.

“Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread,” the weather service warned.

The weather service said high winds could potentially knock out power and make driving a challenge for high profile vehicles.

Coloradans should secure loose outdoor items on Tuesday that could blow away, according to the warning.

Xcel Energy on Monday said it did not anticipate shutting off power during this wind event to mitigate the wildfire risk, but cautioned that conditions are dangerous on Tuesday.

“Please stay safe and vigilant of evolving weather conditions in your area,” Xcel Energy said in a post on its official X account.

A spokesperson with Black Hills Energy told KRDO it was monitoring portions of South Colorado and was considering an emergency power shut-off due to extreme fire danger.

A ground delay was issued for Denver International Airport on Tuesday due to weather and wind. Flights coming into Denver were delayed about 2 hours and 2 minutes on average, according to Air Traffic Control Alerts, at 6:44 a.m.

A total of 490 flights were delayed and 34 were canceled at DIA as of 8:40 a.m., according to FlightAware.com, a flight tracking website.

The Federal Aviation Administration said to expect delays in Denver on Tuesday due to wind.

Winter Storm Warning, dangerous snow squalls possible

Up in the Colorado mountains, high winds and prolonged snowfall will produce hazardous winter weather conditions on Tuesday, the weather service said.

“Travel on I-70 through the mountains will rapidly deteriorate after 6 a.m. as strong winds and snow spread eastward across the Colorado mountains,” the weather service said.

A Winter Storm Warning was issued for the Park Range on Tuesday from 2 a.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Thursday, with 14 to 24 inches of snow is possible and wind gusts up to 65 mph.

“Visibilities are expected to drop to less than a quarter with roads becoming snow covered,” the weather service warned. “Travel is expected to be very difficult during the time frame.”

Meteorologists warn that a snow squall is possible across the Colorado mountains Tuesday due to the heavy snow and high winds.

A snow squall is a “quick and intense burst of snow and winds,” the weather service explained. “They typically last 1-3 hours and can cause rapidly reduced visibilities.”

The weather service said if you get caught in a squall on the road, slow down, turn on your headlights and hazard lights and if possible take the nearest exit off the interstate because conditions can deteriorate fast.

Meteorologists said they will issue snow squall warnings, similar to tornado or thunderstorm warnings, if needed.

A Winter Weather Advisory was issued for the Front Range and I-70 mountains and valleys on Tuesday from 2 a.m. to Wednesday at 11 p.m. where 3 to 12 inches of snow is possible and wind gusts up to 55 to 70 mph.

Denver weather forecast

The weather service said to expect a slight chance of rain mixing with snow in Denver after 9 a.m. on Tuesday, gradually tapering off.

Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., meteorologists said to expect patchy blowing dust under mostly sunny skies. The wind in Denver is expected to be 23-30 mph out of the west, with gusts up to 48 mph.

The high temperature is expected to reach 54 degrees on Tuesday in Denver. That’s about 8 degrees warmer than the average high temperature for Feb. 17 in Denver, according to NWS archive data.

The chance for precipitation is about 20% in Denver on Tuesday.

Tonight, expect temperatures to drop to about 31 degrees, with winds gusting up to 30 mph.

The Denver weather forecast for Wednesday is looking quite similar to Tuesday, with a chance of rain, snow mix in the morning, giving way to mostly sunny skies and a high near 53 degrees and breezy conditions.