Recent rains have made the start of summer feel mild in La Plata County. But with the arrival of a so-called “heat dome,” the above-average temperatures that were a fixture in May and early June have returned.

The mercury climbed to 91 degrees Friday, and temperatures were expected to remain in the low-90s through Monday, according to the National Weather Service, which tracks weather at the Durango-La Plata County Airport.

Weekend highs are not expected to break any records, but they are above-average for this time of year, according to 26 years worth of data collected at the DRO site.

The record high for July 8 occurred in 2003 when the mercury reached 95 degrees. Other record highs include 96 degrees on July 9, 2003; 99 degrees on July 10, 2021; and 98 degrees on July 11, 2020.

By comparison, the mean high is 86 degrees for July 8, and 88 degrees for July 9-17, based on the 26 years of data.

According to the data, the DRO site has already recorded 18 record-breaking high temperatures this year – including eight days in May – compared with seven record-low days so far in 2022.

However, meteorologists caution not to draw too many conclusions from data sets that have fewer than 30 years worth of data – 26 years is close, but it’s not 30.