Hot and dry weather continued across Colorado on Wednesday. Highs climbed into the mid-to upper 90s this afternoon, with 80s in the mountains. The record for Aug. 11 is 97 degrees, most recently set last year.
A weak cold front will move across the northeast quarter of Colorado plains overnight. It will bring our temperatures down a bit Thursday afternoon with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s and a slight chance of thunderstorms.
On Friday and Saturday, the front will move back to the north, allowing hotter weather to return. There will be a weak monsoon flow of moisture from the south, bringing a chance for thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall to the mountains and Front Range.
By Sunday, the best chances for thunderstorms will drift back into the mountains, leaving hotter and drier weather for Denver and the I-25 Corridor. Highs will return to the mid-to upper 90s for Sunday and Monday.
The combination of smoke particles from western wildfires and moderate to high levels of surface ozone will continue to make conditions unhealthy for sensitive groups. An Air Quality Warning remains in effect for all of northern Colorado, including Denver and the I-25 Corridor.
Some of the smoke is from Colorado fires, but much more is from the bigger fires to the west of our state. The heavier smoke will actually make any outdoor activities a concern, even for people without any underlying medical conditions.
A cold front will move into Colorado next Tuesday and bring cooler temperatures and a better chance for thunderstorms. Air quality will also improve next week with the passage of the front.
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