Gusty north winds, hard freeze arrive in Kiowa County before weekend warmup
A sharp cold front is sweeping southeastern Colorado on Friday, bringing strong north winds, a chance of late-day showers and a hard freeze overnight before skies clear and temperatures begin a steady climb through the weekend in Eads and surrounding Kiowa County.
Friday brings partly sunny skies and a high near 55 degrees, with north winds of 20 to 25 mph and gusts reaching 45 mph through the afternoon. Scattered showers are possible after 5 p.m., with a 30 percent chance of precipitation. Overnight lows are forecast to drop to about 23 degrees, and a Freeze Warning is in effect from 10 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Saturday. A Freeze Watch has also been posted for Saturday night into Sunday morning as another round of subfreezing lows is expected.
"Subfreezing temperatures are highly probable tonight, with lows dropping to the teens across the Palmer Divide and 20s across lower elevations," a meteorologist with the Pueblo forecast office wrote in Friday’s Area Forecast Discussion, noting that the Freeze Warning was issued “due to the early growing season.”
A windy Friday, then rapid warmup
The front responsible for the morning wind and temperature drop is the same system producing snow across the central mountains and the Pikes Peak region, where 2 to 4 inches of accumulation is expected. On the plains, the main impacts are gusty winds, blowing dust and a marked drop in humidity. Kiowa County is not included in the Red Flag Warnings issued for Friday afternoon; those apply to Baca and Las Animas counties and the San Luis Valley, where humidity is forecast to bottom out near 12 to 13 percent.
Despite the lack of a formal fire weather product for Kiowa County, residents should still use caution with any outdoor burning. Dry fuels and wind gusts to 45 mph can carry embers well beyond the point of origin, and conditions will not fully relax until winds diminish late Friday night.
Eads, Colo. — Five-day forecast (April 17 – April 21, 2026)
Source: National Weather Service, Pueblo — Issued April 17, 2026
Period | Sky Conditions | High / Low | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Partly sunny; scattered showers possible after 5 p.m. (30%) | High 55°F | N 20–25 mph, gusts to 45 mph |
| Friday night | Cloudy early, then gradual clearing; 30% showers/snow showers before 8 p.m. | Low 23°F | N 20–30 mph, diminishing to 10–20 mph after midnight; gusts to 45 mph |
| Saturday | Sunny and breezy | High 61°F | NW 10–20 mph |
| Saturday night | Mostly clear | Low 27°F | NW 5–10 mph, becoming SE by evening |
| Sunday | Sunny | High 76°F | SW 5–15 mph |
| Sunday night | Mostly clear | Low 35°F | S 5–10 mph, becoming WNW after midnight |
| Monday | Mostly sunny | High 82°F | NNW 5–15 mph, becoming SSE in afternoon |
| Monday night | Mostly clear | Low 42°F | SSE 10–15 mph |
| Tuesday | Sunny | High 86°F | NNW 5–10 mph, becoming SE in afternoon |
| Tuesday night | Mostly clear | Low 46°F | SE around 15 mph |
(Kiowa County Press)
Weekend outlook: sun returns, mercury climbs
Saturday will be sunny and breezy in Eads, with a high near 61 degrees and northwest winds of 10 to 20 mph. Temperatures overnight will again fall below freezing under mostly clear skies, bottoming near 27 degrees, and gardeners with early plantings should plan for a second night of cold protection.
Sunday marks the first true spring day of the period, with sunshine, a high near 76 degrees and lighter southwest winds of 5 to 15 mph. Overnight lows will stay above freezing for the first time in the stretch, with Eads dropping only to about 35 degrees.
Extended outlook: Monday and Tuesday
The warming trend continues into next week. Eads is forecast to reach about 82 degrees Monday under mostly sunny skies, with light winds becoming south-southeast in the afternoon. Tuesday climbs further to near 86 degrees with sunshine and afternoon winds turning southeast. Overnight lows moderate into the mid-40s.
Forecasters at the Pueblo office note that a Pacific storm system approaching later in the week could bring “meaningful precipitation” to southern Colorado, though confidence in timing and amounts remains low.
Motorists driving U.S. 287 and Colorado Highway 96 on Friday should watch for crosswinds and reduced visibility in blowing dust, especially in open stretches east and west of Eads.
