Denver Weather: First Triple Digits This Year As Record Heat Continues For Several More Days

DENVER (CBS4) - Monday was hot. Tuesday and Wednesday will be even hotter with record high temperatures in many parts of the state.

Denver officially reached 98 degrees on Monday which was 4 degrees shy of the record for June 14. But with a lower record on Tuesday (97 degrees last set on June 15, 1993) and a higher forecast high temperatures (at least 100 degrees), it seems very likely records will be broken in the metro area on Tuesday.

Wednesday will be equally as hot and the record is even lower (96 degrees set on June 16, 2020) so it seems almost certain Denver will have another record day on Wednesday.

And it's not just Denver and the Front Range suffering with extreme heat. Grand Junction set a record with 102 degrees on Monday and their all-time record of 106 degrees could be challenged this week. Dangerous heat will also continue across the entire southwest region of the country with cities like Phoenix and Palm Springs approaching 120 degrees in the coming days.

In addition to the heat, Denver and Colorado's urban corridor will experience poor air quality and hazy visibility again on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has declared the air "unhealthy for sensitive groups" meaning young children, older adults, and anyone with respiratory issues. These groups should avoid prolonged periods of time outside and everyone should take precautions to stay safe in the heat including staying well hydrated.

The poor air quality is being caused by a combination of elevated ground-level ozone and various amounts of wildfire smoke in the air. Most of the smoke is originating from Utah (mainly the Pack Creek Fire) and Arizona (mainly the Telegraph Fire).

In terms of the chance for late day thunderstorms, a very small chance (10%) will continue through Thursday followed by better chances for afternoon and/or evening thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday. At no point will the chance for storms get better than 30% for at least the next 7-10 days.