August Begins With Heat and Smoke Across Colorado

DENVER, Colorado — The hot weather will settle in as August begins, with drier conditions expected this weekend. A round of storms and showers is forecast for Friday afternoon, bringing a risk of severe weather, particularly across Eastern Plains.

According to meteorologist Landon Haaf, the Denver metro area will experience one last day of below-average temperatures. It will warm up as we head into the weekend and even hotter temperatures are predicted for next week.

Overnight storms have moved east of Colorado, leaving dry and hazy skies for the Friday morning commute. Smoke from wildfires in Utah and Arizona is causing reduced visibility across the Front Range. Dense smoke is expected to linger throughout the day on Friday.

Temperatures are projected to rise to the upper 80s by Friday afternoon. The forecast also predicts more storms and showers, with severe weather possible. These storms are expected to begin east of the foothills around 3 p.m. and exit the area by 6 p.m., moving east of Interstate 25.

Looking ahead, conditions will dry out as a ridge moves overhead, pushing temperatures into the 90s across the plains and the Denver metro area. This weekend promises fewer storms, with warmer weather continuing.

As we move into the first full week of August, highs are anticipated to soar into the mid to upper 90s in Denver. The dog days of summer will be felt strongly across Colorado.