FXUS65 KPUB 181116
AFDPUB

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
416 AM MST Sun Jan 18 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Quiet and mild day today.

- A band of light snow w/light accums possible late tonight into
tomorrow AM generally north of line from KCOS to KLHX to KLAA.

- Spotty fire wx issues developing mtns/plains interface region TUE-
WED-THU.

- Unsettled next weekend (large deviations in statistical temp
guidance)

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/...
Issued at 259 AM MST Sun Jan 18 2026

Currently...

Except for some passing thin CI, skies were clear across the region
early this morning. Temps were in the tens to low 20s across nearly
all of the plains, but some 30s to around 40F were noted in
downslope areas along the mtn/plains interface. San Luis Valley was
mainly in the 10s. Mtns were cold with mainly tens.

Today...

A very nice day. Mostly Sunny skies are anticipated across the
region with max temps mainly in the 50s plains and mid 40s SLV. Mtns
will be in the 20s.

Tonight into Tomorrow morning....

A weak disturbance will begin to impact the region late tonight and
last into tomorrow morning, with  light snow expected  from the
central mtns to across the northern Pikes Peak region and then into
Kiowa county prior to sunrise, and pushing east-southeast
through tomorrow morning. Commute over the Palmer Divide
tomorrow morning will be impacted with possible lower visibility
and some light accumulations. Snow will be "wispy" as it will
be cold with lows in the upper 10s most of the plains. Single
digits will occur over the SLV with single digits in the mtns.
Some snow showers will be likely over the rest of the plains and
the southern mtns during tomorrow morning. The remainder of the
region should be dry.

Tomorrow afternoon

Snow is expected to push out of the region by early tomorrow
afternoon. Max temps tomorrow will be cold with highs only in the
30s plains M40s SLV. 10s and 20s in the mtns. Winds will be light
tomorrow, becoming upslope over the plains by mid day.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Issued at 259 AM MST Sun Jan 18 2026

Tuesday through Thursday.

It will be warming up these 3 days. Modest NW flow will continue
with a weak (dry) disturbance or two moving in the flow. Main
concern during this time is spotty critical fire weather
conditions developing along the mtn/plains interface, especially
in the gap flow region. Max temps will mainly be in the 50s
plains with 40s SLV.

Friday into early next week...

Unsettled and cool/(cold?). There is likely going to be a fairly
stout baroclinic surface boundary over the region during this period
as an arctic airmass will be lurking to our north through northeast,
and some of this colder air will likely infiltrate into the fcst
area, especially over the far eastern plains. It still needs to be
determined how far west it will move, and this is shown in the LARGE
temps spreads in the DESI statistical guidance over the plains.
Without saying, confidence in the temps fcst over the plains during
this period is quite low.

It is likely that the SLV will be warmer than the plains on these
days. Additionally. a better disturbance will likely be moving
across the region during the weekend time period and expected we
will see a very good chance of some snow over the mtns, especially
along the CONTDVD during this period. At this time accums don't look
to be all that great, but some accums in the mtns are better than no
accums. \/Hodanish

&&

.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 412 AM MST Sun Jan 18 2026

VFR conditions are expected through at least the next 18 hours
at KCOS and KPUB. winds will become east-southeast during the
afternoon and last through the evening hours.

Cigs will begin to lower at KCOS and KPUB after midnight
tonight, with possible MVFR cigs towards sunrise Monday.

KALS will be VFR next 24 hours with light winds.

&&

.PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...HODANISH
LONG TERM...HODANISH
AVIATION...HODANISH