A smoky sunrise. Pic taken 8/5/2021
Friday – 6 Aug 2021 – 1:45pm
Overall situation…
At Stevens Field the high yesterday was 84 and the low this morning was 49. The peak wind at the airfield yesterday was 18mph.
Storms brewed over the mountains yesterday but hardly moved. Most of us didn’t get any precip.
*** The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued the following… ***
WHAT…Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke.
WHEN…800 AM Friday August 06 to 900 AM Saturday August 07
IMPACTS…Heavy smoke from California wildfires will begin to move into northwestern Colorado Friday afternoon and spread in a southeasterly direction across the rest of western and central Colorado Friday night into Saturday morning. Expect the heaviest smoke impacts in sheltered valley locations where atmospheric mixing is more limited.
HEALTH INFORMATION…Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy. ***
Ridging is over our heads now but is moving east. Southwest flow ahead of an upper level trough will increase this afternoon, along with a bit of instability and a few spotty showers/thunderstorms, mostly over the mountains.
Behind the trough we’ll dry out and get more stable leading to an even lesser chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms through the weekend. Smoke will increase overnight and into tomorrow.
And when will monsoonal moisture return? The second half of next week the high will move closer to the Four Corners and we’ll see a bit more monsoonal moisture. Unfortunately, the models are inconsistent and in disagreement so forecast confidence is low at this point.
My forecast…
Today through Tuesday… Today is our best chance for a couple of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, but it’s pretty weak – consider yourself lucky if you get measurable precip. High temps will be near 80 to the upper 80s and lows will be mid-40s to mid-50s. Afternoon winds will peak around 20mph with gusts in the 25-30mph range later today and tomorrow.
Wednesday through Friday… The chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms will go up a little as monsoonal moisture and instability increase slightly. High temps will be near 80 to the upper 80s and lows will be mid-40s to mid-50s.
Pagosa Springs historical data
| Average High | Record High / Year | Average Low | Record Low / Year |
| 82 | 92 / 1981 | 46 | 32 / 1976 |
My next update will be tomorrow afternoon.
- Shawn
One Response
Love your reports!
Thank you for your service.