Author: BoulderCAST Team (Page 1 of 44)

This post had major contributions from at least two members of our team. The more meteorologists the better, right?

CONTEST: It’s that time again! Enter your first snow prediction for a chance to win! ❄️☃️

11th Annual BoulderCAST First Snowfall Contest

Ready to toss that first snowball of the season? Maybe you’ve already waxed your skis, shelled out for that pricey Epic Pass, or jumped the gun on snow tires (again). Well, hold onto your mittens—Boulder’s first big snow could be just around the corner, or not! Mother Nature has been playing tricks on us lately. In the past five years alone, we’ve seen both the earliest and latest first snows on record. But, what will 2025 bring? That’s where you come in.

We’re kicking off our annual First Snow Contest! Please take a look at Boulder’s snowfall history within, then submit your best guess for when the first measurable snow (≥0.1″) will fall in Boulder—and how much will accumulate. The closest guesses will win a selection of prizes!

*This contest is now closed to entries*

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September 2025 Graphical Weather Review: A pleasant transition into autumn with just enough rain to stave off drought

September 2025 brought a classic Colorado blend to Boulder and the Front Range: near-normal temps, wetter-than-average skies, and a lively mix of sunshine and storms. A standout precipitation event around the 23rd delivered soaking rain in the lowlands and the first real coating of snow to the Mountains. The month eased us gently into autumn, with crisp mornings, comfortable afternoons, and brilliant foliage lighting up the higher terrain. And yes—who could forget that dramatic wave of Canadian wildfire smoke that swept through, reminding us how connected we are to the broader arid landscape of western North America. Here’s a quick and colorful graphical recap of our weather during September and how it relates to climatology.

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August 2025 Graphical Weather Review: A hot, dry & smoky month saved by a cool & rainy finish

August 2025 was on track to be our third scorcher in a row — hot, dry, and smoky — until a late-month shift brought in a welcome stretch of cooler, wetter weather. That pattern change helped balance things out across the Front Range, with most areas landing close to average for rainfall and just slightly warmer than normal overall. Still, it wasn’t all relief: the month packed in plenty of wildfire smoke and a few record-breaking heat days that served to remind us that summer wasn’t done yet. Here’s a quick and colorful graphical recap of our weather during August and how it relates to climatology.

NOTE: This monthly recap was delayed due to missing data in the August 2025 climate record for Boulder which has since been partially filled with best-guess approximations. 

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Colorado Forecast Update: Thursday evening’s smoky front will usher in cooler, (slightly) wetter weather for the weekend

Thursday’s shaping up to be a busy weather day across the Front Range. We’re looking at hot temperatures, gusty winds, and a cold front arriving by evening that’ll bring a noticeable drop in temps — along with a wave of wildfire smoke. We’ll walk through what to expect today, how the weekend is shaping up, and whether any moisture from Hurricane Lorena might sneak into the region.

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Colorado Forecast Update: Record warmth quickly gives way to a prolonged cool & wet stretch across the Front Range

Thursday marks the final chapter of our late-summer heatwave, with record-challenging highs expected across the Front Range — but big changes are on the horizon. A cold front arrives tonight, ushering in cooler temps, a return of thunderstorms, and a wetter, more active pattern that could stick around well into next week. From sizzling heat to damaging hail, monsoonal moisture, and a long stretch of below-normal highs, today’s forecast update has a little bit of everything.

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July 2025 Graphical Weather Review: Drought returns to the Front Range following our second straight hot & dry month

July 2025 was our second consecutive hot and dry month. The summer monsoon has been very stingy so far, leaving Boulder and much of the Denver region parched with drought conditions returning to parts of the Front Range. July didn’t hold back on extremes either: record-breaking heat at times scorched the region, plowable hail hammered Gunbarrel, and a rare funnel cloud spun up over the Foothills of Boulder County. Here’s a quick and colorful graphical recap of our weather during July and how it relates to climatology.

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Rare and beautiful funnel cloud spotted in the Foothills of Boulder County Wednesday afternoon

Wednesday may have felt underwhelming across the lower elevations of the Front Range, where lingering low clouds kept things calm and cool for much of the day — but just west of Boulder, up in the sunshine-soaked Foothills, something rare and striking took shape Wednesday afternoon. A graceful funnel cloud twisted above the mountain peaks in a spot where such phenomena almost never occur. We explore why tornadoes (and their funnel-shaped precursors) are so uncommon in Colorado’s higher terrain, and take a closer look at what makes broader Boulder County particularly adverse to tornado development.

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Forecast Update: Boulder hit 101° for the first time in 13 years yesterday, but (somewhat) cooler air and storms are moving in!

Wednesday brought historic heat across the Front Range, with Boulder hitting a record high of 101°F—the city’s hottest day in over a decade. A weak cold front has since cooled things off slightly, ushering in a good chance of storms the next few days as well. Sunday into Monday turn drier and hotter again as reverse monsoonal flow sets up, potentially stifling our typical summer storm pattern for a bit.

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