The metro area is headed for not only the hottest year in the record book but also the driest.
The temperature at Denver International Airport on Saturday afternoon climbed to 103, the hottest Aug. 2 since 1878, when the National Weather Service started keeping records. And Friday’s 104 degrees was the hottest day of any August since 1878, when the all-time high of 105 was recorded.
We’re also on track for the driest year in recorded history (since 1878) and by a substantial amount.
The driest year on record was 2002, when 5.34 inches of precipitation fell at DIA between Jan. 1 and July 31. This year, only 3.28 inches have fallen at DIA, just 60 percent of 2002’s precipitation.
“I don’t think we’re going to get out of this for a while,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Benton. “We’re more than 2 inches behind the driest year ever. This will be hard to make up.”
As if to throw dust on our wounds, Benton said the last month with above-average precipitation was October 2007.
Denver has now withered through 21 consecutive days of 90-degree weather or hotter, breaking the record of 18 consecutive days set in 1878 and tied in 1901. The forecast calls for at least two more days of 90 degrees today and Monday. Tuesday’s high is forecast in the mid-80s, with a 20 percent chance of rain.
So far this year, we’ve sweltered through 38 days of 90-degree-or-hotter weather. The good news is that August averages about nine days of such weather and September, two.
In southeastern Colorado on Saturday, La Junta hit 108 degrees, Lamar reached 107 and Pueblo recorded 105. In western Colorado, Grand Junction has had 48 straight days with temperatures of 90 or higher and is on track to tie its record of 51.
The dry, hot weather continues to be a fire danger.
A controlled burn of brush in Weld County on Saturday afternoon got out of control and quickly grew to 15 acres, whipped by 30 mph winds.
Firefighters from Poudre Fire Authority, Ault and Wellington responded and doused the fire before it caused any substantial damage. Two residents helping fight the fire received minor injuries.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
