Denver, CO – An extraordinary early-season heat wave is rewriting the record books across Colorado, with several cities setting all-time March temperature records.
According to the National Weather Service in Denver/Boulder, multiple locations broke long-standing records on March 19, including:
- Denver: 85° (previous record 84°, set in 1971)
- Boulder: 85° (previous record 83°, set in 1910)
- Fort Collins: 87° – marking the second straight day of record-breaking heat
- Fraser: 67° (previous record 65°)
- Dillon: 65° (previous record 63°)
- Antero Reservoir: 65°
In Fort Collins, the milestone is especially notable. The city’s previous all-time March record of 81° (set in 2012) was surpassed not once, but twice this week—first with 85°, then again with 87°.
Meteorologists say a few additional climate sites have yet to report, meaning even more records could be confirmed.
This level of warmth is highly unusual for March in Colorado and is part of a broader pattern of record or near-record heat impacting much of the western United States.
The unseasonable heat also raises concerns about early-season fire danger and rapid snowmelt, both of which can create additional hazards as spring begins.
