Plant 'em: 80s this weekend

By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 01:26 p.m., May 16, 2008
Updated 01:26 p.m., May 16, 2008

Plant the zinnias, take the veils off the dahlias.

After a week of soggy and cold weather, a heat wave is hitting the Front Range and gardeners have little worry that there will be another freeze this growing season.

It's only May 17, but after Friday's high of 70, the next several days will feel like late June.

Dry and warm weather is expected this weekend, and very warm and dry conditions will continue through early next week, National Weather Service meteorologists say.

The last of the isolated rain and snow showers are leaving the foothills and mountains today.

A large ridge of high pressure building and moving into the area will bring the warmer weather.

"Once the temperature gets over 70, that seems to bring the people out," said David Daum, vice president at Fruehauf's nursery in Boulder, which is expecting a huge weekend.

The hottest sellers this year seem to be larger pots of annuals — petunias, geraniums, fuscias — grown in containers complete with Miracle-Gro, because "it's pretty much instant color" for porches, patios and yards, Daum said.

Daum said his store doesn't put out many delicate annuals until it's safe — and that usually means May 15, and even then it's important to pay attention to the day-to-day forecast.

"The long-term forecast looks really good for next week."

Today will be a little gusty along the Front Range, but Saturday will be calmer and the high will be 80.

And the warming trend is just getting started.

Sunday is expected to be sunny with a high of 84 in Denver; and Monday and Tuesday will be even warmer with highs of 87.

There's a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday when the high dips to 78.

Mountain towns were in the 50s Friday, should climb to the mid- to upper 60s over the weekend and may hit 70 by Monday.

The eastern plains were a bit windier than metro Denver on Friday, and are expected to be a degree or two warmer than Denver on Monday or Tuesday.

Loveland and Berthoud passes are wet, but most all the other major roads and highways are dry, including I-70 at the Eisenhower Tunnel and over Vail Pass.