Excessive heat is plaguing most of the Western U.S., severely exacerbating the severe drought across the region. While afternoon temperatures approaching or exceeding 110 degrees F are not unusual in the Desert Southwest, that area is expecting highs near 120 degrees. Furthermore, afternoon highs as far north as Montana will approach or exceed 100 degrees in the coming days.
Here along the Colorado Front Range, we are expected to reach 100 degrees the next few days, under intense sunshine; fortunately, our elevation, combined with the dry air, will enhance radiative cooling at night, providing some relief as the temperature falls into the mid sixties. Furthermore, the Continental Divide is a focus for thunderstorm development, offering spotty and transient relief for some towns and cities as the storms drift eastward.
A persistent atmospheric ridge is responsible for the excessive heat, diverting cold fronts and Pacific moisture into Canada. By next weekend, that ridge is expected to break down, withdrawing toward the Desert Southwest; then, those of us in the northern and eastern regions of the American West can expect more seasonable conditions.
