The National Weather Service’s extended forecast for Southwest Colorado has temperatures potentially reaching highs in the mid-50s by Friday, but fans of snow shouldn’t worry – the warming trend may only be temporary.

“We’re just getting into a pattern,” said Kris Sanders, senior meteorologist with the NWS in Grand Junction. “It’s a little above normal for temperatures. We’re basically looking at a ridge of high pressure that is going to set up over the western United States and sort of allow the gulf air to get up here – some of the tropical air mass, I guess you could say, or just much warmer temperatures through the week and into the weekend.”

This is not to say that winter is over, Sanders said. It’s just a break.

Eventually, the next weather system, which may bring a storm during the next week, will push the high pressure further south and east, he said.

The forecast predicts mostly sunny skies Monday and Tuesday in Cortez, with a slight chance of showers on Wednesday and Thursday. Then, it’s back to sunny skies through Sunday, with daytime high temperatures in the lower 50s, and overnight lows around freezing.

ngonzales@durangoherald.com