321
FXUS65 KPUB 311723
AFDPUB

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
1023 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Warm and dry today with snow spreading into the Continental
  Divide late tonight.

- Snow for the Continental Divide Thursday and Friday, with
  light accumulations.

- Temperatures remain warm across the region through Monday.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Issued at 241 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

Current water vapor imagery and upper air analysis is indicating weak
west to northwest flow aloft across the Rockies, with upper level ridging
across Desert Southwest and Great Basin continues to build into the
Rockies ahead of an upper low moving onshore across the Southern
California Coast. Regional satellite data has some high level cirrus
spreading across western Colorado, with more embedded moisture streaming
across the Desert Southwest at this time. Current temperatures continue
the trend of being warmer than yesterday with readings in the 20s and
30s across the region, save for some single digit and teen readings
across the San Luis Valley.

Latest model data supports another warm and dry day as upper level
ridging continues build into the Rockies, keeping modest west to
northwest flow in place through the day. With the warming aloft, will
see high temperatures some 10 to nearly 20 degrees above seasonal norms,
in the 60s across the plains, and mainly in the 40s and 50s across the
higher terrain. Temperatures look to stay just shy for records today
(December 31st), which are: 55F at ALS in 1980 and 2017; 66F at COS in
1904; and 69F at PUB in 1904 as well.

Flow aloft becomes more westerly into tonight, as the southern Cali
upper low starts to lift out into the Desert Southwest. This will
allow for increasing mid and high level clouds to spread into
the Rockies, though may be high and thin enough to be able to see
New Year`s Eve fire works across eastern Colorado. Further west,
increasing moisture within the orographic westerly flow will start
to spread light snow to areas over and west of the Continental
Divide after midnight, with some very light accumulations possible
across the higher peaks of the eastern San Juan mtns by Thursday
morning. The increasing cloud cover and developing westerly flow
will keep temperatures mild overnight, in the 30s and 40s across
the banana belt regions, and in the 20s and 30s elsewhere, coldest
in the center of the San Luis Valley and across the lower Arkansas
River Valley.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Issued at 241 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

Thursday...weak upper energy will move across Colorado during the
day, with increasing snow along the Continental Divide throughout
the day. Snow accumulations with this weak wave continue to be
minor, with around 1 to 2 inches throughout the day. Snow will
remain confined to the Continental Divide. Dry conditions will
prevail across the Plains. Enhanced mixing on the Plains will help
temperatures warm into the upper 50s to mid 60s across the Plains,
while the San Luis Valley sees mostly upper 40s to lower 50s.

Thursday night through Friday...the first embedded upper wave will
track eastward overnight, with a brief lull in snowfall along the
Continental Divide, before a secondary wave strengthens
overhead. Overnight lows be mild heading into Friday morning,
with upper 30s to lower 40s along the Eastern Mountain lee
slopes, and upper 20s for the lower Arkansas River Valley.

The next embedded upper wave will track across Colorado on Friday.
Snow looks to increase in intensity during the morning hours, and
persist into the afternoon. That being said, snow rates look low,
with an additional inch or two possible through the day. This is a
quick moving wave, and will depart by late afternoon, with snow
ending by Friday evening. Storm total accumulations for both the
Thursday and Friday waves looks to be in the 2 to 5 inch range. Dry
conditions will continue across the Plains. Friday`s high
temperatures will remain warm, with upper 50s to lower 60s on the
Plains, and near 50 across the San Luis Valley.

Saturday and Sunday...upper ridging will pass across Colorado
Saturday into Sunday, with increasing southwesterly flow by Sunday
afternoon. Temperatures will slightly cool on Saturday, with upper
50s to near 60 on the Plains. Increasing southwesterly flow will
help boost temperatures on Sunday through the 60s to possibly
lower 70s on the Plains. There could be spotty fire weather
conditions in gap wind prone areas of Huerfano County due to low
humidity and gusty winds.

Monday through Wednesday...the upper ridge will sit across the
Central Plains, with southwesterly flow remaining in place across
Colorado. This will lead to periods of light snow for the
Continental Divide during this period. Nothing at this time looks to
heavy, with a few inches possible by mid week.
Temperatures look to cool across the region, with upper 50s to low
60s Monday, falling into the 50s for Tuesday and Wednesday.
No precipitation is in the forecast for the Plains. Mozley

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 1023 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

VFR conditions are expected at KALS, KCOS, and KPUB through 24
hours. Winds will remain light and diurnally driven. Mid-level cloud
cover will also increase through the next day or so.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 241 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

It has been a very warm December, with current record maximum average
temperatures for the month of December listed below. IF current forecast
temperatures for today are true, December of 2025 in Colorado Springs
will likely be tied with December of 1933 as the warmest December on
record, with an average temp around 41.0F. December of 2025 in Pueblo
looks to be the 4th warmest on record with an average temperature around
39.5F. December of 2025 will be the warmest December on record in Alamosa
with an average temp around 29.3F, which will crush the previous warmest
December of 1980 by over 1 degree.

Maximum December Mean Avg Temperature
for Colorado Springs Area (as of December 30th)

1.....41.0F.....2025
2.....41.0F.....1933
3.....40.3F.....2021
4.....39.7F.....1980
5.....37.8F.....2024
6.....37.7F.....1957
7.....37.5F.....1906
8.....37.4F.....2023
9.....37.1F.....1939
10....36.8F.....1946

Maximum December Mean Avg Temperature
for Pueblo Area (as of December 30th)

1.....42.2F.....1889
2.....41.9F.....1980
3.....41.7F.....1933
4.....39.5F.....2025
5.....39.3F.....2021
6.....39.2F.....1906
7.....39.0F.....1957
8.....38.4F.....1896
9.....38.3F.....1970
10....37.3F.....2024

Maximum December Mean Avg Temperature
for Alamosa Area (as of December 30th)

1.....29.4F.....2025
2.....28.1F.....1980
3.....28.0F.....2010
4.....26.3F.....1958
5.....26.1F.....2021
6.....26.0F.....1946
7.....25.5F.....2017
8.....25.4F.....2024
9.....25.2F.....1962
10....24.7F.....1955

&&

.PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...MW
LONG TERM...MOZLEY
AVIATION...GARBEROGLIO
CLIMATE...MW

NWS PUB Office Area Forecast Discussion