Another red flag warning of dangerous fire-prone conditions has been issued for Southwest Colorado, at least the third alert of dangerously dry weather in the region in the last week.

The red flag warning will be in effect for elevations below 9,500 feet from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday in all of Southwestern Colorado including Durango, Cortez, Pagosa Springs and Silverton. Telluride is just out of the area covered by the warning.

Relative humidity from 10% to 15% and winds from 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph prompted the National Weather Service’s issuance of the alert.

Scott Stearns, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said a high-pressure system has been over the Western United States for the past week blocking any storms from moving in.

The long-range forecast calls for clear, dry weather through the week, he said, although a slight chance for a weak system that might bring isolated rain showers to higher elevations in Southwest Colorado on Thursday and Friday does exist.

“Thursday and Friday, there is a slight chance for higher elevations, but even that is not guaranteed. The models differ right now, and even if it does happen, people shouldn’t expect too much, maybe spotty rain in the high country.”

The high-pressure system has been nudged to the east, creating more favorable conditions for storms to come into the Four Corners, but so far major systems have not formed, Stearns.

Early next week, winds look like they will not be strong enough to issue more red flag warnings, but later in the week that could change, Stearns said.

The warm, dry conditions in the later-half of April and May are rapidly melting Southwest Colorado’s snowpack.

According to Colorado SNOTEL as of Friday the snowpack in the Animas, Dolores, San Miguel and San Juan river basins is 70% of the 30-year average.

parmijo@durangoherald.com