Colorado is set to see the warmest weather of the year so far Friday as temperatures creep into the mid and upper 80s, according to the National Weather Service.

Summer-like temperatures will be joined by sunny, mostly clear skies and a light afternoon breeze, according to NWS forecasters.

Temperatures in Denver will peak around 87 degrees Friday afternoon before dipping back down to 53 degrees overnight, forecasters said.

In northern Colorado, warm, dry and windy weather conditions will lead to increased fire danger, especially in Weld and Larimer counties, according to a NWS hazardous weather outlook.

Periods of critical fire weather conditions are possible, but will largely be dependent on fuel conditions, the outlook stated.

Fuel conditions refers to when excess plant material — including grasses, shrubs, trees, dead leaves and pine needles — significantly threaten the ignition or spread of wildfires, according to NWS.

Rain is set to return to the metro area Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning and early next week, forecasters said Friday.

Showers and thunderstorms could hit Denver between noon and midnight Saturday, and a cooler, unsettled weather pattern is expected to bring higher chances for rain Monday and Tuesday as a storm system tracks across the state, the hazardous weather outlook stated.

Warm weather will continue throughout the week — regardless of wet conditions — as temperature highs hover in the upper 70s and lower 80s across the metro area, forecasters said.

Saturday night rain showers and severe Sunday/Monday thunderstorms are forecasted for eastern Colorado, according to NWS meteorologists.

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