Will Fort Collins heat reach 100 degrees? Here are the chances

Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Updated ·2 min read

If you haven't heard, we have a heat wave coming to Colorado with possible record heat — for several days.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the Front Range and east from the Wyoming border to south of Denver for July 10-14.

Such an extended hot forecast Friday through Monday prompted the weather service in Boulder to come up with a percent chance of selected cities and towns in Colorado to see temperatures of more than 100 degrees during the period.

Here's a look:

  • Fort Collins: 5% chance Thursday, 55% Friday, 45% Saturday, 65% Sunday and 20% Monday

  • Greeley: 20% chance Thursday, 65% Friday, 60% Saturday, 80% Sunday and 35% Monday

  • Denver: 5% chance Thursday, 55% Friday, 45% Saturday, 65% Sunday and 30%

  • Boulder: 0% chance Thursday, 20% Friday, 4% Saturday, 15% Sunday and 5% Monday

  • Fort Morgan: 25% Thursday, 70% Friday, 70% Saturday, 90% Sunday and 55% Monday

  • Julesburg: 10% Thursday, 40% Friday, 40% Sunday, 75% Sunday and 45% Monday

Forecast calls for Fort Collins to come tantalizingly close to all-time heat record

Fort Collins' official all-time record high of 103 degrees occurred July 21, 2005, according to the Colorado Climate Center, which keeps official city weather records.

The National Weather Service's Thursday forecast calls for temperatures for near 101 degrees in the city Friday, 102 on Saturday and 103 on Sunday.

The full forecast can be found here.

Make sure to take precautionary measures to protect you, loved ones and pets.

If the forecast holds true, has Fort Collins ever seen such a heat wave?

Yes. Twice dating to 1872. That was when weather records were first kept for the city.

Russ Schumacher, state climatologist and professor of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, previously told the Coloradoan temperatures in Fort Collins have only reached 100 degrees or more on consecutive days twice in recorded history:

  • June 23-25, 2012: The High Park Fire west of Fort Collins started June 9 and was 100% contained June 30 of that year.

  • July 10-13, 1954: Four consecutive days is the record.

How often does the temperature reach 100 degrees or more in Fort Collins?

Schumacher previously told the Coloradoan the city has reached 100 degrees or hotter 28 times since records have been kept, the most recent being a 100-degree reading on June 16, 2021.

Coloradoan reporter Kelly Lyell contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Heat advisory near me: Will highs in Fort Collins reach 100 degrees?