COLORADO SPRINGS — Southern Colorado is preparing for a strong storm predicted to bring winds that could gust, in the late morning, between 60-80 mph – even higher in some areas of the state.
Reminiscent of January 2017
For many, Wednesday’s storm brings back memories of a storm back in January 2017. That storm brought down numerous large trees around town, closed the Interstate during the peak of the event, stopped all El Paso County school buses in the afternoon, and blew over northwards of 50 semi trucks.
Low moisture and fire concerns
Current models suggest Wednesday’s storm will be very similar. However, unlike 2017, the ground is not moist, which means there is a greater chance of downed power lines and fires.
Fires are a major concern as Colorado continues trudging its way through a major drought. Many areas remain under a Red Flag Warning. This means not only is it easier than ever to start a fire, once a fire begins, it has an extremely good chance of spreading quickly.
Snow Squall Warning
Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service issued a Snow Squall Warning until 9:15 a.m. MST. Drivers have been told to be prepared for a sudden drop to near zero visibility, icy roads, and heavy snow.
Get the latest weather updates
FOX21 is providing minute-by-minute coverage throughout the day. For the latest weather coverage, visit FOX21’s weather page, follow Chief Meteorologist Matt Meister on Twitter and Facebook, Weather Anchor Ashley Nanfria on Twitter and Facebook.
Updates will also be made on FOX21’s homepage.
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