Dennis Mellon watched the dial climb on a thermometer he dangled over a deep-fat fryer on a day that saw temperatures approach a record.
He stopped calling out readings when the thermometer hit 135 degrees.
“It is all about pacing yourself. I drink lots of water,” he said, plunging a corn dog into the smoking oil.
It was hot enough outside the A Taste of Colorado tent in which he was working — 94 degrees in Denver at 2:10 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
But the mercury never climbed to 97 degrees, a record for Sept. 5 set in 1899.
Relief from the heat is on the way. Predictions call for a cold front to cool things off today, when it is expected to reach only into the 70s.
“It will cool off for the first part of the week; it will only be in the low 70s,” said Weather Service meteorologist Scott Entrekin.
The agency forecasts the rest of the week to have high temperatures in the 80s.
“It looks like we are done with the 90s, at least for this week,” Entrekin said.
On Sunday, however, the heat drove some attendees at the Taste of Colorado festival hunting for shade.
“It feels so hot because you are walking around on asphalt,” said Randy Schiell, who stood on the grass in Civic Center park. “The grass is a little cooler.”
Mellon, who managed the Cherry Creek Concessions stand at the festival downtown, had fried up as many as 400 corn dogs before measuring the heat and expected to cook many more before the festival ends this evening.
“I have some extremely sanitized fingers,” he cracked.
The heat, coupled with dry air and gusts of wind, caused the Weather Service to issue a red-flag warning that signaled extreme fire danger Sunday along the Front Range.
Tom McGhee: (303)954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
