Colorado experiences record-breaking heat waves

Colorado has experienced unprecedented extreme heat, with state climatologists reporting that a four-day period from July 25 to 28 was the worst heat wave in 75 years of recorded data. During this stretch, the statewide average temperature on July 27 reached 78.75 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking the previous record set in 2005.

In Boulder, the summer of 2026 has seen record-breaking temperatures, including 23 days at or above 95 degrees. The city tied its annual record for 100-degree days, and the Boulder Municipal Airport recorded 104 degrees on August 3, tying the location’s all-time high.

Climate experts from Colorado State University’s Colorado Climate Center attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of these heat waves to human-caused climate change. Nationally, the contiguous United States recorded its hottest July on record during this period.