DENVER — Denver could tie or break at least three daily heat records this weekend. That shows how unusual and impactful this five-day heat wave really is.
Thursday: The record of 100 degrees, set back in 2022, is likely to stand. Triple digits are within the realm of possibility but the current forecast is for the temperature to peak at 96 degrees.
Friday: The record of 101 degrees, set back in 1971, is in jeopardy of falling. The current forecast is projecting a tie.
Saturday: The record of 100 degrees, set in 2003, is also likely to get tied or be broken. The current forecast is 100 degrees.
Sunday: The record of 101, set way back in 1878, could also fall, The most recent modeling is suggesting that Sunday has the best potential for the highest temperatures. The forecast is holding at a conservative 101 degrees for now.
Monday: The record of 101 degrees, set in 2006, seems to be safe at the moment. It will likely be the final day of the heat wave and the modeling has been most inconsistent with when the ridge of high pressure will break down. The forecast has been anywhere from 99 to 94 degrees.
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Denver's hottest temperature ever recorded
There is also a chance that Denver's all-time heat record of 105 degrees could get tied or broken. It has hit 105 degrees five times in history with the most recent being Jun. 28, 2018. That temperature is not highly likely or in the current forecast but it wasn't back in June of 2018 either. The modeling has shown 102 and 103 as a good possibility in a few recent simulations.
As for the hottest temperature ever recorded in the state of Colorado; that appears to be safe. It hit 115 degrees at John Martin Reservoir in Bent County near Hasty on July 20, 2019. The highest forecast temperature with this heat wave is 105 degrees on the western slope.
100-degree streaks
If it does reach a streak of two consecutive 100-degree days, which seem very likely at this point, it would only be the 15th time that's happened in Denver since 1872. A three-day streak has only happened five times with the most recent occurrence in June 2021. The record is five consecutive 100-degree days. That's happened three times with the most recent occurrence in June 2012.
The record for most 100-degrees in a year for Denver is 13 in 2012. There's been one so far in 2024, so if we get three more during this weekends heat wave, that would put this year in a tie for 7th place all-time with four.
Other heat records possible in Colorado
Friday:
- Grand Junction 105 degrees in 2003 (Forecast 104)
- Colorado Springs 98 in 1971 (Forecast 96)
- Fort Collins 102 degrees in 1954 (Forecast 101)
Saturday:
- Grand Junction 105 degrees in 2020 (Forecast 103)
- Colorado Springs 100 in 1954 (Forecast 96)
- Fort Collins 100 degrees in 2003 (Forecast 100)
- Sunday: Grand Junction 105 degrees in 2005 (Forecast 101)
- Colorado Springs 96 degrees in 2005 (Forecast 96)
- Fort Collins 97 degrees in 2022 (Forecast 101)
90-degree days in Denver
Another way of tracking the summer heat is with the number of 90-degree days. Tuesday was just the third 90-degree day in Denver so far this July thanks to several cold fronts early in the month but that could be just the first in eight consecutive 90-degree days.
The total number of 90-degree days so far this year is 19. Which is well on pace to beat the average of 46. Last year there was only one 90-degree day in Denver by July 9. But at least we are behind the insane pace of the record of 75 set in 2020. By July 9, 2020, there were already 27 90-degree days in Denver.
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