A wave of record-breaking heat across Colorado has increased fire danger and worsened drought conditions, meteorologists say.
"It’s kind of like summer came back here in the middle of September," said state Climatologist Russ Schumacher.
Colorado Springs’ heat has soared in September, breaking four daily records over the past week, say data from the National Weather Service in Pueblo.
In Grand Junction, 89 days have brought temperatures of at least 90 degrees, said Dennis Phillips, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service there.
"So yeah, it’s been hot," Phillips said.
"I think a lot of that can be attributed to the drought that we’re in and the fact that the monsoon was basically missing this year."
"Even above-average precipitation in the summer isn’t that much.
The only way they’re going to make that up is with a big snow season," he said.
It was sparked by lightning July 22 and had remained at less than 5,000 acres for weeks.
But the statewide forecast shows a better chance for above-normal winter precipitation, "which would at least keep things from getting worse, and hopefully start things on the path to getting better," he said.