Buckle up in Colorado because the weather forecast promises a crazy ride over the next three days, with extreme avalanche conditions in the mountains and a red flag warning along the I-25 corridor for high winds.

Multiple snowfalls and strong, gusty winds will wreak havoc on mountain travelers into Monday, and these winds will increase the risk of fires at lower elevations.

Here’s a look at the timing and impact of the powerful storm system, according to the National Weather Service.

Winter storm warning for mountains, advisory for lower elevations

• Winter Storm Warning: 11 a.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday. Centrally located in the Rabbit Ears area near Steamboat Springs. 8 to 18 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour are expected to make travel very difficult in places like U.S. Highway 40 and Colorado Highway 14.

• Winter weather information: 11 a.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday. Affected areas include the higher elevations of Rocky Mountain National Park, western Larimer and Boulder counties, and Jackson, Park, Summit and Grand counties. With snow depths of 4 to 11 inches and wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, travel will be dangerous, including on Colorado 14 and Interstate 70.

On Saturday, snow cover statewide was 90%.

Meters of snow and strong winds create dangerous avalanche conditions

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center:

• Avalanche warning: Through Monday for portions of the Front Range Mountains, including the Indian Peaks Wilderness, James Peak Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park. This includes portions of Jackson, Larimer, Grand and Boulder counties above 9,000 feet. The warning area also includes the mountains north of Steamboat Springs to south of Vail. Meters of snow and strong, gusty winds result in dangerous avalanches that can easily be triggered by backcountry users, running naturally and over long distances. Travel to backcountry avalanche areas is not recommended in the warning area.

• Avalanche watch: Through Monday for portions of the Front Range mountains, including the Cameron Pass area in western Larimer County and Summit County. Heavy snow and strong winds will result in dangerous avalanche conditions, with large avalanches easily triggered by backcountry users and naturally in many locations. Traveling into avalanche areas in the hinterland is not recommended in the above-mentioned areas on Sunday and Monday.

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Colorado has recorded no avalanche deaths and only one injury this year.

Strong winds Monday prompt a red flag warning for the I-25 corridor in the plains

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the I-25 urban corridor, the southern Plains and the southern foothills Monday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The area includes Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

Strong, gusty winds will continue to spread Monday and, along with low humidity, will lead to critical fire weather conditions, blowing dust and hazardous travel, according to the National Weather Service.

Wind gusts of 55 to 60 mph are forecast for Fort Collins and surrounding areas, with potential gusts of 75 mph or greater in the foothills from Fort Collins to Castle Rock.

Larimer County is the driest in Colorado, according to the latest drought monitor map. This map shows severe drought throughout the county and extreme drought in the northeast tip.

The weather forecast for Fort Collins calls for very strong but pleasant winds on New Year’s Day

According to the National Weather Service:

• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53 and a south-southwest wind 5 to 8 mph. There is a 20% chance of showers after 11pm, mixing with snow after 3am. Low temperature around 30.

• Monday: Patchy dust blows before 3 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 45. Very windy, with a northwest wind 32 to 37 mph decreasing to 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon. Wind gusts could reach up to 55 miles per hour. Lowest temperatures around 17 degrees.

• Tuesday: Partly sunny, with highs around 36°C and lows around 13°C.

• Wednesday (New Year): Mostly sunny, with highs around 37 and lows around 19.

This story has been updated with the latest information.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado sees heavy snow in the mountains and high fire danger along I-25