Boulder County just rolled back its fire restrictions—right as we close the book on one of the hottest, driest, most fuel‑parching summers in recent history. The county says “improved conditions” justify easing the bans, yet rainfall has been almost impossible to come by within county limits, Extreme Drought now blankets 84% of the county, and fuel moisture is objectively worse today than when restrictions were last ramped up back in late June. It begs a very reasonable question: what exactly has improved? We break down the data behind the decision and examine why Boulder County’s fire environment remains primed as we step closer to autumn—historically one of our area’s most volatile fire seasons in recent years.
Category: Climatology (Page 1 of 73)
These posts contain information about the long-term weather patterns of Boulder County. Potential topics may include 30-day weather outlooks, El Nino/La Nina, and seasonal forecasts. You will find less about the day-to-day weather, with more focus on longer trends and patterns.
The shortened work week arrives with a bit of a plot twist as Tropical Storm Marie sends a surge of deeper moisture straight into Colorado. That boost will keep scattered storm chances alive through Tuesday before a midweek cold front briefly dries us out and knocks temperatures back into more comfortable territory. But the break won’t last — late‑week heat is set to rebuild quickly, and weekend guidance is already hinting at yet another unsettled pattern trying to form, with a fresh plume of subtropical moisture lurking on the horizon. This summer’s stubborn, underperforming monsoon looks determined to limp well into September. Read on as we unpack the setup and what it will mean for weather along the Front Range this week.
August 2026 was a month defined by brutal heat, episodic monsoon relief, intermittent smoke, and continued climatological extremes across the Front Range, with most of the West extending a long‑running warm anomaly that has defined the past year and a half. Boulder notched its 2nd‑warmest August on record, capping 15 consecutive months averaging above‑normal temperatures, and even tied its all‑time record high of 104°F during one of several extreme heat pulses. During the month, new records were also set for the number of 95° and 100° days in a single calendar year — a clear marker of how historically persistent the heat has been. The month also featured a brief but meaningful uptick in monsoon moisture, especially in the southern Denver Metro area, where localized downpours provided slight drought improvement and a temporary break from the otherwise parched pattern.
Here’s a graphical look at how August 2026 unfolded across Boulder, Denver, and the Front Range — and how it compared to climatology.
A stubborn late‑summer pattern refuses to budge across the West, and Colorado is once again caught in the middle — but this holiday weekend comes with a tropical twist. As Hurricane Marie drifts offshore of Baja California, pulses of subtropical moisture will begin sneaking into the state, boosting storm chances in the High Country and adding some intrigue to an otherwise familiar stretch of warm, southwest flow. If you’re heading outdoors for Labor Day weekend, especially in the Mountains, you’ll want to keep an eye on the sky — the atmosphere has a few surprises lined up.
Summer 2026 is beginning to wrap-up, but before we close the books on one of Colorado’s most punishing warm‑season patterns in recent memory, we’re taking you through the full story — from the record‑warm, snow‑starved winter that set the stage, to the monsoon that never quite cohered leaving fuels critically dry statewide, to the heat dome that kept both day and night historically warm.
Read on as we break down why Boulder’s rainfall never materialized this summer, why Denver fared only marginally better, how nearly 250,000 acres burned statewide, and why half of Colorado is now in Extreme or Exceptional Drought. This summer has certainly been one for the record books, in more than one way.
The atmosphere is gearing up for a busy stretch in Colorado, and this week’s forecast has a little bit of everything: a juicy monsoon plume to start, a sharp mid‑week dry‑out, and eventually a deep moisture surge tied to a tropical cyclone that could push the state’s moisture levels into rare territory. Whether that translates into meaningful rainfall east of the Continental Divide is the big question — and the answer hinges on timing, storm motion, and whether we can sneak in a well‑placed cold front or two. There’s plenty to watch this week for the Front Range. Let’s dig into the details.
A stubborn late‑summer pattern is locked in across the Front Range this week. While it won’t bring major shifts, it will deliver subtle day‑to‑day changes worth watching. A strong subtropical ridge keeps monsoonal moisture just high enough for daily storm chances, yet still too disorganized to produce reliable rainfall — a theme all summer. With shifting flow aloft, a mid‑week cold front and moisture bump, and a gradual drying trend late in the week, there’s plenty to unpack, from renewed severe potential to evolving flash‑flood risks and ongoing drought concerns. Read on as we break down the key ingredients driving this persistent — and likely still underperforming — monsoon pattern.
A series of subtle weather shifts will shape the upcoming week along the Front Range, beginning with a return to warmer temperatures and a brief interruption of monsoonal moisture. A midweek frontal passage then reintroduces instability, moisture transport, and an uptick in storm coverage — including the potential for some severe cells. Heat will rebuild late week as the ridge re-strengthens over the area, before another likely resurgence of monsoonal flow enters the discussion for next week. Read on for all the details.
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