Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Manitou Springs, CO

SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/
Issued at 1235 PM MDT Sun Mar 8 2026

Colorado currently remains in an area of weaker flow aloft, with a shortwave passing far to our NNE and a cutoff low far to our southwest. Rest of today will be warm and dry, with some critical fire weather conditions over southern I-25.

Tonight into tomorrow, flow aloft will turn westerly, increasing in strength as the cutoff low begins to slowly move into our region.
Downsloping winds will kick temperatures up, with 70s to low-80s over the plains and 50s-60s for the valleys. Meanwhile, the stronger winds and exceedingly dry conditions will allow for more widespread fire weather concerns. Red Flag Warnings for tomorrow cover most of I-25 and the San Luis Valley. Areas of greatest concern will be in and around gap flow areas. Given the increase in flow, have upgraded the RFW and expanded it east to include Crowley County.

LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/
Issued at 1235 PM MDT Sun Mar 8 2026

Tuesday-Wednesday...Cutoff low moves past our region to the south, bringing briefly active weather. Precip chances will increase over the southern half of our CWA Tuesday morning as the low brushes past New Mexico, continuing east through the afternoon. Isolated to scattered showers will move along with the low, starting over our southern mountains and pushing over the plains in the afternoon. The strength of showers, as well as the chance for any thunder, will depend on whether the best lift with the low coincides with peak heating during the afternoon. Current guidance supports a few rumbles of thunder, but generally most of the instability is expected to remain east and south of our CWA Temperatures will be warm again,with 60s- 70s across the area. A few short hours of near-critical fire weather conditions will be possible over the Arkansas River Valley, near gap flow areas, but currently conditions are too short lived in the data for any highlights.

The passing system will bring a cold front down over the plains Tuesday evening into early Wednesday. This may allow precip to linger a bit longer over the plains Tues Night, while also cooling things off for Wednesday. High temps will be closer to seasonal averages, with 50s to low-60s over most areas.

Thursday through Saturday...A very familiar pattern then settles back in starting Thursday and lasting into the weekend. Brisk west to northwest flow aloft will bring a return of dry conditions and above normal temperatures, leading to increased fire danger once again. The NBM brings isolated moisture back to the central mts starting Sat evening but confidence is low at this time with that solution.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/
Issued at 531 PM MDT Sun Mar 8 2026

VFR conditions expected at all sites the next 24 hrs. Winds over night will be light, then expect increasing w-sw winds, gusting 20-25 kt, at all terminals after 18z on Mon.

PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
Red Flag Warning from noon to 7 PM MDT Monday for COZ222-224- 227-228-231.
Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MDT this evening for COZ229-230.
Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 7 PM MDT Monday for COZ229-230.