Prowers County under Red Flag Warning as Lamar nears 92 degrees Wednesday
A Red Flag Warning covers Prowers County through midnight Wednesday as forecasters warn of hot, dry and windy conditions likely to fuel rapid fire spread across the eastern plains. Lamar is expected to reach a high near 92 — the warmest in the region — with patchy blowing dust developing by mid-afternoon and south winds gusting to 30 mph.
The Pueblo National Weather Service office issued the warning at 12:20 a.m. Wednesday, including Prowers County (zone COZ236) among 16 fire-weather zones under elevated risk. Relative humidity across south-central Colorado is expected to drop as low as 6 percent, with sustained west-southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts to 40 mph across most warned zones. Around Lamar, south winds of 15 to 20 mph will combine with low humidity to support rapid fire spread.
Eric Petersen, a meteorologist with the Pueblo forecast office, wrote in Wednesday’s Area Forecast Discussion that “critical fire weather conditions [are] likely across much of the area Thursday and potentially Friday,” with cooler, more active weather expected for the weekend.
Second round of fire weather Thursday
A second Red Flag Warning is expected Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., though winds will be somewhat weaker than Wednesday. Petersen wrote that at least three hours of critical fire conditions are likely “at most locations from late morning into mid-afternoon.” Highs across the region will fall 5 to 15 degrees behind an upper trough, and Lamar itself will cool into the upper 70s Thursday.
Lamar, Colo. — Five-day forecast (April 22–26, 2026)
Source: National Weather Service, Pueblo — Issued April 22, 2026
Period | Sky Conditions | High/Low | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | Mostly sunny; patchy blowing dust after 3 p.m. | High 92 | South 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon; gusts to 30 mph |
| Wednesday Night | Increasing clouds; patchy blowing dust before 8 p.m. | Low 46 | South, becoming northwest; gusts to 30 mph |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy, becoming sunny | High 78 | Northwest 10 to 15 mph |
| Thursday Night | Mostly clear | Low 35 | North-northwest 5 to 15 mph, becoming northeast |
| Friday | Sunny | High 77 | West 5 to 15 mph, becoming southeast |
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy | Low 38 | East-southeast 10 to 15 mph |
| Saturday | Partly sunny | High 77 | East-southeast 10 to 15 mph; gusts to 30 mph |
| Saturday Night | Mostly cloudy; slight chance of showers and thunderstorms; breezy | Low 43 | East-southeast 15 to 20 mph; gusts to 30 mph |
| Sunday | Mostly sunny; 30% chance of showers after noon | High 82 | South 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 25 mph; gusts to 35 mph |
| Sunday Night | Partly cloudy; chance of showers | Low 35 | West 15 to 20 mph, becoming north 10 to 15 mph after midnight; gusts to 35 mph |
(Kiowa County Press)
Thursday and Friday cooler, steadier
Thursday brings mostly cloudy skies giving way to sunshine and a high near 78, with northwest winds of 10 to 15 mph. Thursday night turns mostly clear with a low near 35. Friday returns to full sunshine and a high near 77, with light west winds shifting to the southeast by evening.
Extended outlook
Saturday brings partly sunny skies and a high near 77, with east-southeast winds gusting to 30 mph. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms arrives Saturday night with a low near 43. Sunday warms back into the low 80s — Lamar’s high is forecast near 82 — with a 30 percent chance of showers after noon and south winds gusting to 35 mph. Sunday night brings another chance of showers, a low near 35 and north winds gusting to 35 mph after midnight.
Residents are urged to avoid outdoor burning, campfires and spark-producing equipment while the Red Flag Warning is in effect, and to comply with any local fire restrictions.
