Sunny skies and warmer-than-usual temperatures continue Wednesday in Denver ahead of a potent storm expected Friday.

The National Weather Service in Boulder said to expect a high temperature near 68 degrees in Denver on Wednesday. That’s about 14 degrees warmer than the average high for this time of year.

The record high for March 12 in Denver is 75 degrees set in 1916, so we are expected to fall just short of that.

The weather service said in the southern half of the Denver metro area on Wednesday there is minor risk of heat-related impacts for individuals with extreme sensitivity to heat, especially for those who are outdoors for long periods without adequate hydration.

Windy conditions are expected in eastern Lincoln and Elbert counties, the weather service said, which could lead to “critical fire weather conditions.” Palmer Divide, South Park and Colorado’s Eastern Plains are also at risk of “critical fire weather conditions” on Wednesday, the weather service said.

Overnight, the weather service said temperatures in Denver are expected to drop to around 35 degrees before soaring to 69 degrees again Thursday.

However, a potent and quick-moving storm is still on schedule to hit Colorado late in the week, meteorologists said.

The weather service said snow is likely in the mountains Thursday night into Friday, and rain, snow and windy conditions are likely for lower elevations across Colorado’s plains on Friday. That could mean cold conditions at Denver’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday.