NWS Forecasting Strong Winds for Saturday

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL…EAST
CENTRAL…SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO.

.DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT December, 31, 2011

STRONG WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO TODAY. WINDS WILL GUST IN EXCESS OF 80 MPH ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS…AND IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ACROSS THE WET
MOUNTAIN VALLEY…THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF FREMONT COUNTY…AS WELL
AS PUEBLO…CHAFFEE…HUERFANO…EL PASO…CROWLEY…AND KIOWA
COUNTIES. THE REMAINDER OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS WILL SEE WIND GUSTS
OF AROUND 50 MPH. WINDS SHOULD STAY FAIRLY LIGHT ACROSS THE SAN LUIS
VALLEY WITH SPEEDS UNDER 15 TO 20 MPH…HOWEVER THE WESTERN VALLEY
EDGES COULD SEE WINDS OF 20 TO 40 MPH AT TIMES. THESE WINDS CAN
CAUSE LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECT TO BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES…AND THEY
SHOULD BE BROUGHT INDOORS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. STRONG CROSS WINDS ON
NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAYS CAN CAUSE HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES TO FLIP.

THE STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW OVER THE HIGHER
MOUNTAIN PASSES TODAY. THIS MAY RESULT IN POOR VISIBILITIES AS WELL
AS SLICK ROAD SURFACES AS THE SNOW IS BLOWN ACROSS THE ROADWAYS. IN
ADDITION…SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WILL OCCUR OVER THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS…WITH ABOUT AN INCH OF NEW SNOW
ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE.