Colorado saw record-breaking heat across the state last summer, and climatologists believe we’re in for another hot season this year as climate trends intensify.
Summer 2024 was Grand Junction’s hottest on record; Denver had its second hottest summer since the 2012 heat wave; and Fort Collins broke its own record for the most consecutive 90-degree days in one year.
Now, temperatures appear likely to be above normal once again, according to the National Weather Service and Climate Prediction Center’s 90-day forecast.
“The temperature outlook does look fairly similar to what we saw last summer,” Assistant State Climatologist Peter Gobel said. “Above-normal temperatures are predicted as being highest in the western third of the state near Grand Junction or areas like Cortez further to the south or Dinosaur further to the north.”
However, Gobel said whether we’ll break any new heat records this year will depend on monsoonal rain patterns and other factors that could cool things down.
“It’s like you’re playing a hand of poker and the deck is stacked a certain way. Imagine having high cards as being more like a hot summer,” he said. “You might say there are some extra aces and kings in the deck, but that doesn’t mean you can’t draw a handful of low cards. So, even though the forecast looks similar, it’s like drawing a completely new hand.”
While they can’t fully predict how this summer will stack up compared with last year, forecasters are expecting a hot week to follow recent storms and warn that late June and early July will see temperatures continue to climb to levels that can be dangerous for those spending extended periods of time outdoors.
“I would bet on more 90 and 95 degree days than our historical average,” Gobel said. “And I’d feel pretty good placing that bet based on not just the trend, but also the additional guidance that we’re seeing in these seasonal temperature forecasts.”
Highs in metro Denver are already starting to sizzle, with forecasters predicting the first 90-degree day this week. And with more heat comes more danger for heat-related illnesses.
In 2024, the state identified 21 heat-related deaths, up from 13 the previous year. Health data is now publicly available in real-time thanks to a new dashboard published in May last year.
“We have seen the number of extreme heat days increase, so we need to kind of change the way we think about summer,” said Ned Calonge, chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “We already are good at making different plans for the winter when we’re facing extreme weather in terms of extreme cold snowstorms, (but) I think we’ve been slower to think about extreme heat as another part of the weather we need to pay attention to.”
Last year, the state identified 995 heat-related illness visits to a medical provider. So far this year, the state has already counted 72 patients for heat-related illnesses like heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body loses too much water and salt, often through sweat or prolonged physical activity in high heat. It’s characterized by a temperature between 100 and 104 degrees and can be treated by cooling the body down and restoring electrolytes. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can turn into heatstroke, which can cause damage to internal organs and even be fatal. Heat stroke is characterized by the body’s inability to cool itself, with a person’s temperature rising past 104 degrees.
Calonge said Coloradans should make plans to check in with their elderly neighbors and family members on high heat days to ensure they’re taking proper precautions against the heat to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
“If they’re going to schedule outdoor activities, they should try to think about moving those activities to cooler parts of the day,” he said. “It’s important to pace yourself if you’re outside, take rests, drink water and cool yourself down after the activity. Remember that infants and young children are also very susceptible to heat-related illness, as are people who are pregnant, people with chronic diseases like asthma and heart disease.”
In addition to preparing residents for high heat days, the CDPHE has instructed local health care facilities to develop administrative procedures to meet emergency and surge staff capacity needs in case of extreme heat incidents like last August, when more than 100 people were treated for heat-related illnesses at the biennial Pikes Peak Regional Air Show in Colorado Springs.
“These hot temperatures are likely to be with us for a while, certainly through the rest of 2025,” Cologne said. “And so trying to bring that into our planning and thinking about how we face what is often a season where we spend a lot of time outside, it’s really important to bring that to mind.”
The CDPHE has a list of helpful resources to protect yourself and your community on high heat days on its website. That includes the use of cooling centers for people without access to air conditioning and cool water.
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