Denver will see on Thursday before temperatures begin to drop, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures in Denver are forecast to hit 98 degrees on Thursday, one degree lower than the current Aug. 21 record of 99 degrees set in 2023, .
Thunderstorms and rain showers are expected to return to the city on Friday, dropping temperature highs into the 80s and, by Monday, into the 70s, .
Forecasters said temperature highs in the low to mid-70s will hang around at least through Wednesday. Weather service forecasts were not available Thursday beyond Wednesday.
The extreme Thursday heat prompted Denver Public Schools to close more than a dozen of its schools, according to the district. Two additional schools plan to release students early, ahead of the expected high temperatures.
An air quality alert also remains in effect Thursday for the Denver area and Front Range as hot and dry conditions create unhealthy levels of ozone.
