Grand Junction and much of western Colorado are about to experience the hottest weather ever recorded in March, with temperatures soaring into the mid-80s starting Thursday and peaking Saturday near 84 degrees. Forecasters say multiple daily records will fall, and the all-time March high of 81 degrees set back in 2007 will almost certainly be broken.
Summer Heat Arrives Four Months Early
The ridge of high pressure responsible for this extreme warmth is already building over the West Coast and will park itself directly over Colorado by mid-week. National Weather Service data shows Saturday’s forecast high of 84 degrees in Grand Junction would smash both the daily record of 79 degrees and the all-time March record by three full degrees.
This will be the earliest 80-degree day on record for Grand Junction by nearly three weeks.
Moab, Utah, just across the state line, is expected to hit 87 degrees on Saturday, which would also obliterate its March record. Montrose, Delta, and Cortez will all see temperatures 25 to 30 degrees above normal, pushing into the upper 70s and low 80s each afternoon from Thursday through Sunday.
How Rare Is This Heat?
Meteorologists say this event is extraordinary even by Colorado’s wild weather standards.
- The earliest 80-degree day in Grand Junction history is April 8
- Only six 80-degree days have ever occurred in March since records began in 1893
- Saturday’s projected 84 degrees would rank as the second-hottest day ever recorded before April 15
Stephen Bowers, chief meteorologist at KJCT, told viewers Monday night that the atmosphere aloft will resemble mid-July more than mid-March. The upper-level ridge is expected to reach 500mb heights rarely seen this early in the season.
What Residents Should Watch For
Fire danger will spike dramatically starting Thursday. Relative humidity values will drop into the teens across western Colorado, combined with gusty afternoon winds. The National Weather Service has already issued Red Flag Warnings for parts of the region this weekend.
Water managers are celebrating the warm spell. The rapid snowmelt in the high country will provide a badly needed boost to reservoirs that have been running well below average after two dry winters.
Outdoor enthusiasts are wasting no time. Rafting companies on the Colorado River report bookings are already filling up for the weekend, with guides expecting river flows to surge from the sudden melt.
The Cool-Down Is Coming
Enjoy the summer preview while it lasts. A strong cold front arrives Monday night, dropping highs back into the 60s and 70s by Tuesday with a chance of mountain snow returning mid-week.
This extreme warmth serves as another reminder of Colorado’s rapidly changing climate. The state has warmed about 2.5 degrees since 1980, and weather patterns that once seemed impossible in March are becoming the new normal.
Records are made to be broken, but rarely do they fall this dramatically and this early. Western Colorado is about to live through a historic heat wave that will be talked about for years.
What do you think about trading snow boots for flip-flops in March? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, and if you’re posting your sunny photos this weekend, use #ColoradoMarchMeltdown so we can find them!
