DENVER -- It was record breaking warm afternoon Tuesday thanks to a warm, westerly wind.

The strong wind prompted the National Weather Service to hoist a high wind warning Tuesday morning for the Front Range mountains and Foothills.

The strongest winds were recorded over mountain passes such as Berthoud Pass. Gusts there reached about 80 mph Tuesday morning. Lower elevations in the foothills between 6,000 and 9,000 feet had winds up to about 60 mph.

Winds were weaker Tuesday morning in Denver and the city's western suburbs. Broomfield recorded a gust of 46 mph and Denver International Airport recorded a gust of 36 mph.

The benefit of the strong west wind is their warming effect on Denver and the eastern plains. Air blowing over the Rockies from the west compresses and warms as it descends down the eastern slopes of the mountains. This brings warm temperatures and mild conditions to cities east of the Front Range of the Rockies.

High temperatures in the Denver area Tuesday will be the middle to upper 60s with some locations on the plains reaching above 70 degrees. Normal highs in Denver this time of year are usually in the middle 40s.

These mild, above-average temperatures provide nice relief before the next storm system is forecast to pass through the area late Thursday evening. At that time, the opposite condition is expected -- which is called upslope wind. An upslope usually brings a chance of rain or snow.

Stay tuned to 7NEWS and TheDenverChannel.com for details on the approaching storm.