High winds are coming back for much of the eastern side of Colorado starting Sunday, with 50 mph gusts possible in some areas.
The strongest winds could come to areas like Rocky Mountain National Park and Breckenridge. Gusts will still be relatively strong along the I-25 corridor, including in Fort Collins, Denver and Colorado Springs. The National Weather Service says high winds could cause tree damage and potentially dangerous travel for mountain drivers as snow showers roll in Sunday evening.
Widespread power outages could be possible if power lines get knocked down. Xcel Energy has not announced any planned, proactive electric outages, which the utility company employed during Colorado’s last high-wind event, much to the frustration of thousands of customers.
Parts of Southern Colorado, including the San Luis Valley, Alamosa and La Junta, will see critical fire conditions on Monday due to high winds, low humidity and warm temperatures. The NWS says critical fire conditions could spread to other parts of the state if temperatures continue to warm up.
The strong winds are expected to persist through Tuesday.