After two days of cooler-than-average weather, the heat returns to Colorado Thursday alongside a wave of afternoon thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
Nearly 90-degree weather is set to return to the Front Range, metro area and Eastern Plains Thursday, NWS forecasters said. Temperature highs will rise to 89 degrees in Denver, 86 degrees out east in Limon and 90 degrees in northeastern Colorado’s Sterling.
A few severe thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon and evening, especially in the mountains, northeast plains and Denver area, forecasters said. The greatest threat of severe weather lies on the Colorado-Wyoming-Nebraska border in northeastern Colorado.
Hail up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter — about the size of a ping pong ball — and damaging wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be the largest threat, NWS meteorologists said. Heavy rainfall may also cause flooding.
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Storms are set to hit the Denver area around noon and continue off-and-on through midnight, forecasters said.
Stormy weather will continue through Friday but dry up for the weekend, according to a NWS hazardous weather outlook.
“From Saturday through Wednesday, less thunderstorm coverage can be expected, along with above normal temperatures for most areas,” the outlook stated. “Some areas of the plains could see afternoon high temperatures reach 100 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.”
Overnight Thursday, temperatures in Denver will drop to 63 degrees before bouncing back up to 89 degrees Friday, according to NWS forecasters. Temperatures in the metro area will officially reenter the 90s Saturday and heat up to 99 degrees by Tuesday.
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