Pueblo hits 80 degrees before front cuts highs to 50s

A cold front crossed Colorado on Friday, October 23, bringing cooler air and increased precipitation chances to the region.

The National Weather Service forecast a high of 80 degrees and a low of 52 degrees for Pueblo. Morning temperatures started in the 50s with breaks in cloud cover. The front advanced from the west, bringing additional cloud cover and generating storms farther south. Rain chances on the south side of Pueblo ranged from 10% to 20% on Friday. These odds are expected to rise substantially over the weekend.

Sunshine emerged along Interstate 25 around 10 a.m. as morning clouds cleared. The front supported thunderstorms farther east and a few storms along the southern portion of the interstate. Colorado Springs recorded a forecast high of 73 and a low of 47. Temperatures will fall as the front moves through Friday and into Saturday morning. Saturday highs are projected to reach only the 50s.

Canon City may see a few afternoon showers, though most locations are expected to stay dry. Rain chances there stand at 20% to 30% with a high of 75 and a low of 49. Woodland Park is forecast to reach a high of 58 and a low of 39. Afternoon clouds will follow earlier sunshine, with rain chances arriving for the weekend. Monument and the Tri-Lakes area are expected to hit 69 with a low of 43, followed by Saturday highs in the 50s.

Farther south, Walsenburg and Trinidad are expected to reach 73 and 74 degrees respectively. Lows in both cities are 49 degrees. Friday is forecast to be the warmest day for these locations over the next seven days. Weekend highs will drop into the 50s. The eastern plains could see thunderstorms return by Friday evening after a sunnier start. Afternoon temperatures there will reach the 70s and 80s, with lows in the 50s. Mountain forecast highs are in the 60s and lows in the 30s. Lingering moisture and flooding remain concerns in southwestern Colorado, where water levels may take time to recede.

Conditions are expected to become calmer next week. Sunshine and partly cloudy skies are forecast, with temperatures gradually warming into the 60s. The preliminary Halloween outlook calls for temperatures in the 50s and 60s and dry weather. That forecast could change.