Colorado’s Eastern Plains, parts of the metro area and the Front Range foothills are under a high-wind warning through 5 p.m. Friday with gusts forecasted to hit 65 mph in some areas.
In the metro area overnight, trees were toppled by strong gusts, including in Centennial and Greenwood Village, according to South Metro Fire Rescue. No injuries were reported.
The toppling tree in Greenwood Village did take down a powerline, sparking a grass and shed fire, the fire department said.
— South Metro Fire Rescue (@SouthMetroPIO) January 14, 2021
Xcel Energy warned of potentially destructive winds and advised people to stay clear of downed power lines for safety considerations. The energy company said customers can call 800-895-299, or 911, for emergencies. On Thursday at about noon there were 37 outages in the Denver area impacting about 1,200 customers.
Areas on the Eastern Plains under the high-wind warning are: Northeast Weld County, Sedgwick, Phillips, Morgan, Logan and Washington counties.
The high-wind warning, posted by the National Weather Service in Boulder, also includes most of the metro area and the foothills from the Wyoming state line to Pueblo. Cities included are: Fort Collins, Greeley, Castle Rock and Colorado Springs. Denver is not included in the warning, but winds in the city are expected to gust up to 40 mph Thursday.
The Colorado Department of Transportation has issued a high wind cautions for long spans of the Interstates 25 and 70 corridors in the state. Drivers of high-profile vehicles, including trucks and trailers, should take caution and be prepared for the winds. Blowing debris, dirt and snow could cause visibility problems for drivers in some areas, including in the Colorado mountains.
At about 2 a.m. Thursday, a 116 mph gust was recorded at the Breckenridge Ski Area.
Weather forecasters expect temporary lulls, including during this evening, but winds are expected to pickup again overnight and into Friday.
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