Colorado Springs on Monday tied its record high temperature for Dec. 15 of 65 degrees for the first time since 1946, as more dry weather prompted the National Weather Service in Pueblo to issue a fire weather watch. The alert spans from near Briargate Parkway in Colorado Springs to the Colorado-O klahoma border and will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Colorado Springs has not received precipitation since 4.4 inches of snow fell on Dec. 3, setting a daily precipitation record of 0.34 inches, according to weather service data. Normally, 0.23 inches of precipitation and 4.1 inches of snow occur in Colorado Springs in December. The Colorado Springs Fire Department is advising the community to be diligent and aware of the fire risk, a spokesperson from the department told The Gazette. To prepare, the department suggests having a go-kit, be ready to evacuate if needed and to sign up for Peak Alerts. Additionally, those seeking to burn on Wednesday can consult the Colorado Springs Fire Department’s outdoor burning quick guide to learn what is allowed to burn in general, with a permit, and what is always prohibited. The guide applies when there is no burn ban or restriction in place. No counties in the watch area have ongoing fire restrictions as of the time of publication on Monday evening. Conditions across southeastern Colorado have become drier in recent months, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows. Costilla, Huerfano and Otero counties are the only southeastern Colorado counties with a majority of their land area in a dry or drought status. All of Huerfano County has been classified as abnormally dry or in moderate drought since the monitor’s first November forecast. Meanwhile, El Paso and Pueblo counties have less than 5% of their land areas designated as abnormally dry, the lowest criteria. ...read more read less