Gusty east winds, multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, and a marginal risk of severe weather are in the forecast for Prowers County through Friday, with the most active period expected Thursday afternoon and evening before drier and warmer weather returns for the weekend.

Wednesday in the Lamar area will be cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms developing during the afternoon. The high is expected to reach near 64, with east-southeast winds of 10 to 25 mph and gusts as high as 40 mph. Showers and thunderstorms become likely Wednesday night, with rain continuing into Thursday morning and an overnight low near 44.

A meteorologist with the National Weather Service Pueblo forecast office wrote in Tuesday’s Area Forecast Discussion that “strong to severe thunderstorms” are possible Thursday “across most of the southeast plains,” with continued shower and thunderstorm chances into Friday before a gradual weekend warmup.

Severe storm risk Thursday

Thursday is expected to be the most active day of the period. An upper-level trough is forecast to swing through the northern U.S. Rockies, combining with low-level moisture in southerly return flow and deep-layer wind shear around 40 knots to produce scattered thunderstorms across the southeast plains. The Pueblo office noted that “hodographs show some decent curvature” and that “large hail, damaging winds and even an isolated tornado will be possible.”

Forecasters cautioned that a capping inversion may limit storm development closer to Lamar early in the afternoon, but a strengthening low-level jet and cooling aloft are expected to allow storms to persist into the overnight across eastern Colorado and western Kansas. Lamar is forecast to see a high near 69 Thursday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms, followed by storms overnight, an 80 percent chance of precipitation, and southeast wind gusts to 35 mph.

Five-day forecast for Lamar (May 20–24)

Source: National Weather Service, Pueblo — Issued Tuesday, May 19, 2026

(Kiowa County Press)

Friday and the weekend

A cold front is expected to drop southward into the plains Friday behind the departing upper-level wave. Lamar should see mostly sunny skies with a high near 72 and north-northeast winds of 10 to 15 mph, though a slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms remains. The best storm coverage Friday is expected to be near the Colorado-New Mexico border, along the frontal boundary.

Saturday and Sunday turn warmer and mostly dry as a brief ridge builds in. Saturday in Lamar should be mostly sunny with a high near 77 and an afternoon chance of thunderstorms. Sunday looks sunny and warmer, with a high near 84. Forecasters note that an active pattern is expected to return early next week.

Fire weather and safety notes

No Red Flag Warnings or fire weather watches are currently in effect for Prowers County or zone 236. The Pueblo office cancelled its most recent Red Flag Warning Monday evening as a cold front pushed humidity values into the 45 to 55 percent range across the region. Higher humidity and increased rainfall chances through Friday are expected to keep fire danger well below recent levels.

Travelers along U.S. 50 and U.S. 287 should be prepared Wednesday and Thursday for brief heavy downpours, lightning and gusty winds with any thunderstorms that develop. The full forecast and any updated watches or warnings are available at weather.gov/pub.