Drought conditions worsen

The drought monitor released Thursday shows the overall weather picture in Colorado remains drier than average. This week’s drought report shows that only around 48% of the state is drought free. Areas of moderate drought have expanded this month in Grand County and Routt County, extending westward into parts of Moffat County and Rio Blanco County.
The worst of the drought statewide can now be seen up to our north. Parts of Larimer and Weld counties are now under extreme drought. It’s been 18 days since we’ve had measurable precipitation in Denver, so it’s no surprise that the Denver metro area remains under severe drought. Abnormally dry conditions seen in yellow have also expanded on the High Plains and over the Western Slope.
In Summit County the dry conditions in the mountains have prompted the county to enter stage one fire restrictions.
Thursday is still feeling like summer. The average high temperature for Oct. 10 is 68 degrees. Thursday’s daytime high temperatures will be 12 to 15 degrees warmer than average.
The air quality will improve, but it will still be hazy due to the wildfire smoke streaming in from fires burning in Utah and Wyoming.
We will get a taste of fall on Friday as a weak dry cold front arrives, dropping temperatures into the 70s. Saturday there could be elevated fire weather conditions possible across the Eastern Plains due to warm, dry and windy conditions. Daytime highs temperatures will be above normal in the mid-80s.  Another cold front arrives on Sunday and this will usher in a bit of a fall-like change for next week with daytime highs in the 70s.