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In Brief:
After a night (Saturday) of a few strong storms around the state, Sunday will be a touch cooler with a better shot of storms - some severe - in the afternoon hours. The week unfolds with temperatures near 80F each day with a chance of afternoon (occasionally strong) each afternoon. Get your hikes in in the morning.
Forecast Discussion:
The visible satellite image (Figure 1) shows you how the Earth would look with your eyes from space. The milky material in Montana, western Canada and stretching down into the Dakotas and even Missouri and the Ohio Valley is smoke from fires way up north. The HRRR smoke model shows only a bit of the smoke near Colorado today (Saturday) and it then pushes east (Figure 2).
We've had the strongest storms up in southern Wyoming and down around southern Denver Saturday afternoon (Figure 3). Some good hail fell and is currently falling (as I post this Saturday afternoon).
The Longer Range Forecast:
For Sunday, the front is still draped across the state (Figure 4), upper level energy is moving in from the west, and energy will exist for more wide-spread and stronger - hail and damaging wind producing storms. The SPC has painted Longmont with a slight risk (2 on a scale of 1-5) up I-25 and just a bit west of the interstate. A marginal risk extends a bit up the foothills (Figure 5). As always - frequent lightning, powerful damaging winds, and large hail may be produced by the stronger cells.
Beyond this - we have a fairly routine week with temperatures around 80F and afternoon showers/thunderstorms coming off the mountains. (I'm saving space and not including that 10 day graphic for once).
