A historically hot March is stoking fears that Colorado could be headed toward worsening drought, heightened wildfire risk and lasting water stress.
Why it matters: Climate experts warnthatanunusually dry winter followed by an early-season heat spike is a risky combination — one that could shape not just this summer, but water conditions for years to come.
Zoom in: A grass fire near Falcon and another blaze south of Fountain in the last week show how fire-pronethe Pikes Peak region is.
Catch up quick: Forecasters held out hope that late-season snow in March and April, typically Colorado's snowiest months, could offset the state's weak winter snowpack.
Instead, Colorado Springs had its warmest March on record, "and snowpack looks terrible," NWS meteorologist Michael Garberoglio told Axios.
95.5% of Colorado is in drought, and more than 95% of El Paso County is abnormally dry, according to the state drought monitor.
Threat level: Dry grasses and vegetation can ignite easily and allow fires to spread quickly, especially on warm, windy days.
With the weather likely to only get hotter and drier, "it's a relatively grim outlook," Garberoglio said.
State of play: The El Paso County Sheriff's Department has banned all open fires as part of a stage II fire ban.
What we're watching: The National Weather Service has issued a "critical fire condition warning" for El Paso County entering this weekend.
Be smart: Sign up for Peak Alerts for official local emergency information.
