865 
FXUS65 KBOU 010547
AFDBOU

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
1147 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Rain continues through Thursday morning over our eastern and 
  southeastern counties, higher amounts are expected in Lincoln 
  county. 

- Isolated showers are possible Tuesday in the higher terrain due
  to a weak disturbance aloft. 

- Warmer and drier for this weekend and mid-next week. 

&&

.DISCUSSION /Through Wednesday/...
Issued at 1138 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2026

Current analysis shows the closed low centered near the New Mexico 
and southeastern Colorado border with ample moisture indicated by 
water vapor imagery. Light showers continue over Lincoln, moderate 
to light over Washington, and light over far south/southeastern 
Elbert county where dual pol storm total accumulations between the 
communities of Punkin Center and Kutch shows potentially near 4" has 
fallen. Short term model guidance indicates showers should continue 
in our far east/southeastern counties until Thursday morning, and an 
additional 0.25-0.50" could fall, especially in Lincoln county. Some 
CAMs depict showers moving into the Denver metro as the night 
continues, but based on the CAMs recent performance we don't trust 
these solutions very much. Nonetheless, we included a 15% chance for 
a light shower to meager towards Denver through tonight. As the 
system pushes off to our southeast, cloud cover will clear across 
the area as the day continues Thursday providing some true sunshine 
for the first time in a few days. High temperatures Thursday will 
warm into the lower 70s in the plains and the urban corridor. The 
mountains will see 50s and 60s.

After a rather interesting and complicated forecast early this week, 
the weather pattern for us turns much more straightforward for 
this period. This weekend a ridge builds over the state favoring 
dry and above normal temperatures. Friday and Sunday will see 
similar temperatures with upper 70s/lower 80s across the I-25 
corridor, Denver metro, and eastern plains. Saturday will be a few
degrees warmer area wide in the low/mid 80s with some locations 
in the eastern plains reaching the upper 80s. Additionally, a weak
cold front appears to makes its way through the northeastern 
plains Saturday afternoon causing breezy conditions with gusts in 
the 20-30 kts range. This front will take down temperatures making
for a cooler Sunday for the far northeastern corner. 

Monday afternoon through Tuesday the patterns gets a touch more 
interesting. Deterministic models shows a short wave moving across 
our area, and forecast soundings depict some moisture moving in 
aloft. Tuesday should be the greatest chance in the higher terrain 
as the shortwave moves overhead and the moisture fills in. Tuesday 
we currently have 20-30% across the high country. At this time 
ensemble and deterministic guidance only shows a few members 
providing rain for the I-25 and urban corridor. Forecast soundings 
also indicate PWATs in the 0.6-0.7 range, but little low-level 
moisture for the plains, so any confidence in measurable rain is 
low at this time. Wednesday and Thursday the dry stagnant patterns
looks to return as the ridge develops overhead inducing upper 70s
and lower 80s for the plains with 50s and 60s in the mountains.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS through 00Z Friday/...
Issued at 618 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2026

Current radar imagery shows a few sprinkles in the vicinity of KDEN 
and scattered showers over areas of the southeastern Palmer Divide. 
Although these showers will likely weaken a bit before reaching the 
Denver metro, we kept PROB30s and vicinity showers at KDEN and KAPA 
until 05Z-06Z given that we do expect at least some additional 
sprinkles to move in from the east during the evening hours.

Winds will remain very light (<8KT) over the region, fluctuating 
between SE-SW into the early morning hours. A weak cold front will 
bring a northerly wind shift between 12Z and 14Z. High-res model 
guidance has been hinting at the development of a low stratus deck 
over/near the Denver metro in the early afternoon, ~17Z-19Z. While 
we did not have enough confidence to include low ceilings in the
TAF at this time (30% chance), some patchy to scattered low 
clouds at 3,000- 5,000ft AGL cannot be ruled out in the vicinity 
of the airports. Winds should remain northerly through late 
Thursday afternoon before turning southerly in the evening. 

&&

.BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...Schnell 
AVIATION...AA