Colorado is bracing for an unprecedented March heat wave, with Denver potentially breaking multiple heat records this week.

DENVER — The 9NEWS Weather Impact Team is tracking an unprecedented March heat wave that could see temperatures flirting with 90 degrees in Denver later this week.

Sunday’s snow will begin to melt away on Monday, though high temperatures in Colorado are forecast to remain slightly cooler than normal for the third week of March. Monday morning will start out very cold with temperatures in the low teens or even single digits for some areas.

Winds will be noticeably calmer Monday, generally staying below 20 mph in the Denver metro area and the eastern plains. Gusts in the foothills could reach 40-60 mph. Colorado’s northern mountains are likely to get another round of light snow showers Monday with 1-2 inches possible on the high peaks.


Possible heat records

The 9NEWS Weather Impact Team is tracking an unusually strong ridge of high pressure that will start to build over the southwestern states on Tuesday. It’s forecast to be the hottest and longest lasting March heat wave in history, and Colorado will feel the impacts.

Tuesday’s highs in Denver should break 70 degrees which could bring the city close to the first record of the heat event. The all-time high temperature record in Denver on St. Patrick’s Day is 76 degrees. The winds will also kick back up on Tuesday but not as strong as last week with 20-30 mph gusts in the forecast, but that could also open the door for another round of fire weather warnings.  

Then, Denver could hit 80 degrees for each of the next four days. That’s something that’s never happened in the month of March. The temperature in Denver is also forecast to break the all-time warmest March temperature of 84 degrees set on March 26, 1971. That record could get beat two or three times this week.

Denver is also forecast to break at least three daily heat records on Thursday, Friday and Saturday — and Wednesday could come close. It is also possible for Denver to get the earliest 90-degree day in history, which is currently April 30 set back in 1992. However, a 90 is not currently in the forecast. 




Denver forecast 

MONDAY: Partly cloudy with calming winds. High 52, low 36.TUESDAY: Mostly sunny and breezy. High 72, low 43.WEDNESDAY: Sunny and warmer. High 81, low 46.THURSDAY: Sunny with record heat likely. High 84, low 48.FRIDAY: Sunny with record heat. High 86, low 46.SATURDAY: Mostly sunny with record heat. High 86, low 45.SUNDAY: Partly cloudy and breezy. High 74, low 43.