A significant windstorm is expected to hit the Denver metro area and the foothills this weekend and meteorologists are warning residents to be ready.

The National Weather Service in Boulder said residents should be prepared for possible property damage, scattered power outages, blowing dust, hazardous travel conditions and high fire danger across Colorado.

Bruno Rodriguez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder, told The Denver Gazette the storm could bring gusts as high as 60-70 mph in Denver and as high as 100 mph in the foothills west of Denver.

“We are expecting a pretty substantial windstorm this weekend,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the winds will not be as strong in the morning on Saturday, but will ramp up gradually throughout the day with the peak of the windstorm happening between about 10 p.m. Saturday through sunrise Sunday morning.

During the peak of the event, Rodriguez said Denver should expect sustained winds of 30 to 45 mph.

“Areas west of I-25 will be bearing the brunt of this windstorm,” Rodriguez said.

The foothills in eastern Boulder, Jefferson and Larimer counties are expected to see the biggest impacts, Rodriguez said. He added that the Highway 93 corridor is an area that could be ripe for 100 mph wind gusts.

Coloradans will remember the 100 mph gusts that whipped the Marshall fire on December 30, 2021. It became Colorado’s most devastating fire in state history, destroying 1,084 homes, and damaging 149 more in Superior, Louisville and unincorporated Boulder County. It destroyed seven businesses and is estimated to have caused more than $2 billion in damages. Two people died in the fast-moving wildfire.

Rodriguez said while there are some similarities between the conditions that day and what forecasters are expecting this weekend, meteorologists avoid drawing 1-to-1 comparisons.

Conditions this weekend are not quite as dry as they were during the Marshall fire, Rodriguez said, plus Denver has already seen “more of a green up” so far this spring after significant snow and rain over the last month.

“As far as the vegetation, we’re not at the same critical level,” Rodriguez said.

One other difference between the conditions for the Marshall fire and this weekend, Rodriguez said, is that the windspeeds this weekend are expected to extend further east into the Denver area than they did during the December 2021 wind event.

Hundreds of thousands of Colorado homes at risk for wildfire, report says

All that being said, Rodriguez said it is extremely important to take precautions and avoid doing anything that could cause a spark, such as towing vehicles without securing chains, using chainsaws or operating any kinds of electrical machinery that could emit sparks. Any kind of outdoor burning should also be avoided.

“I would just emphasize the safety and preparedness angle,” Rodriguez said. “This is a significant wind event.”

The weather service advises residents to secure any loose outdoor objects or move them indoors before the storm, and to consider alternative travel dates for those planning to traverse the state.

“Blowing snow and visibility will be an issue for drivers heading up into the mountains,” Rodriguez said.

He added that the snow is likely to only impact the mountains, while rain is more likely in the northern I-25 corridor.