Cooler weather arrives in Denver
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Relief from scorching conditions should arrive in Denver soon.
Why it matters: The shift this week could bring some much-needed rain and reprieve after July's record-breaking heat crept into August.
State of play: Cooler conditions and wetter weather arrive Thursday, National Weather Service meteorologist Maggie Ideker tells us.
- Thursday has the week's best chance for widespread showers, including possible thunderstorms, Ideker adds. Rain remains possible Friday through Sunday, though chances are lower.
Caveat: "Cooler" is relative. Highs are expected to drop into the low 80s to upper 70s this weekend — still summer weather, but a dramatic swing from 90s that started the week.
Context: Denver broke a temperature record on Aug. 3, hitting 102°F just a week after recording two new daily all-time highs for July 25 and July 26.
- The city recorded its second-warmest July, per NWS. Temps were above normal last month, while precipitation was below normal across the metro area, with just 1 inch of rain measured at DIA.
The big picture: July was the hottest month on record for the contiguous United States, per new federal data dating to 1895.
- Last month's average temperature was 76.89°F, topping the 76.77°F mark set in July 1936 — 3.3°F warmer than the 1901–2000 average.
Between the lines: A series of "heat domes" trapping warm air over large areas fueled extreme temperatures across the country in July.
- Researchers have found that climate change is making extreme heat events more common and intense — but they're also linked to phenomena and patterns like El Niño.
What we're watching: The break from the heat may not last. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center forecasts elevated odds of above-average temperatures across most of the continental U.S. through August.
- And 2026 could set a record for the hottest year globally.