Colorado weather: Record-breaking heat, fire danger returns to Front Range

Katie Langford, The Denver Post on Mar 21, 2026

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DENVER — Colorado is seeing another day of record-breaking heat and dangerous fire weather on Saturday before a slight cool-off is set to begin Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Denver quickly broke the daily high temperature record on Saturday, with mercury at the airport hitting 81 degrees by 11:05 a.m. and still rising. The previous record high of 78 degrees was set at Denver International Airport 31 years ago, in 1995.

Saturday’s high temperature is forecast to make it the hottest March day on record, with forecasters expecting thermometers to hit 95 degrees in Wray on the Eastern Plains; 91 degrees in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins and Greeley; 90 degrees at DIA and in Colorado Springs; and 88 degrees in Castle Rock.

Weekend warriors trying to enjoy Colorado’s nominal snowpack can expect to see temperatures rise to 73 degrees in Vail and Breckenridge, 76 degrees in Granby and 78 degrees in Kremmling and Estes Park.

Saturday’s forecast is also expected to make it the hottest March day ever recorded, which was last set Thursday when temperatures rose to 85 degrees. If Denver’s temperature hits 91 degrees it will also beat the hottest April day on record, which was 90 degrees on April 30, 1992.

There are “widespread critical fire weather conditions” today across most of metro Denver, the Front Range and Eastern Plains, NWS forecasters said in an alert posted just before noon.

Hot weather, “exceptionally low humidity” and breezy winds will cause dangerous fire weather conditions through the afternoon, particularly above 6,000 feet and west of Interstate 25, agency officials said.

The red flag warning is active until 10 p.m.

Temperatures will cool down into the 40s overnight and only reach the 60s on Sunday, though temperatures will likely return to the 80s by Tuesday, according to forecasters.