DENVER — Starting Wednesday, expect a stretch of very warm, dry weather settling in across the area. Wednesday will feel more like late spring than March, with temperatures climbing into the 70s on the plains and even warmer air building just above the surface.
It’ll also be breezy at times, especially in the afternoon, which will make things feel a bit more intense despite the pleasant sunshine.
By Thursday and into Friday, the heat really ramps up. High temperatures are expected to push into the mid 80s, which is well above normal for this time of year and could break long-standing records. Skies will stay mostly clear, and the dry air will stick around, so it’ll feel crisp in the mornings but quickly warm up during the day. Winds won’t be quite as strong as Wednesday, but there could still be occasional gusts.
Saturday looks like the peak of this warm spell. It may end up being the hottest day of the stretch, with temperatures possibly reaching near 90 degrees for Denver and on the plains. That kind of heat in March is unusual and could set new all-time records for the month. The air will also be extremely dry, which combined with occasional breezes, will create heightened fire danger.
Throughout this entire period, from Wednesday through Saturday, fire weather is a big concern. The combination of warm temperatures, very low humidity and periods of gusty wind means conditions will be favorable for fires to start and spread quickly, especially across the plains. Even on days with lighter winds, the dryness alone will keep the risk elevated.
A change arrives late Saturday into Sunday. A weak system will move through, bringing a cooler air mass and knocking temperatures back down into the 60s. While the mountains could see a few light showers, the plains will likely stay mostly dry. Early next week should feel more seasonable overall, with less extreme warmth compared to the end of this week.
DENVER WEATHER LINKS: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream
Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.
