DENVER — After a promising winter storm just before Halloween, the weather pattern has turned sunny and dry leading to rising fire danger on the eastern plains.
Denver International Airport has not reported any snow or rain yet in the month of November. And it’s been the second warmest start to November in history with an average high temperature of 62 degrees.
But unusually warm and dry weather is not the only reason for the high fire danger Monday. During the fall months, the grasses are extremely dry as they start to die or go into winter dormancy.
That makes the open spaces and prairie lands in Colorado susceptible to fast spreading wildfire between the months of October and March if there is no snowpack to cover the dead grasses.
On Monday, another factor was added to the fire danger scenario – wind.
A fire weather warning was issued Monday because 30 to 40 mph wind gusts were added to the scenario, meaning a wildfire would spread even faster and be even more difficult to fight. Thankfully there we no major incidents reported Monday.
The data show that late season fire weather is becoming more common. While the dead grasses and winds are always a factor in the fall and winter, the average temperatures from September through December are rising fast while snowfall during those months is decreasing.
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