August 2026 was a month defined by brutal heat, episodic monsoon relief, intermittent smoke, and continued climatological extremes across the Front Range, with most of the West extending a long‑running warm anomaly that has defined the past year and a half. Boulder notched its 2nd‑warmest August on record, capping 15 consecutive months averaging above‑normal temperatures, and even tied its all‑time record high of 104°F during one of several extreme heat pulses. During the month, new records were also set for the number of 95° and 100° days in a single calendar year — a clear marker of how historically persistent the heat has been. The month also featured a brief but meaningful uptick in monsoon moisture, especially in the southern Denver Metro area, where localized downpours provided slight drought improvement and a temporary break from the otherwise parched pattern.
Here’s a graphical look at how August 2026 unfolded across Boulder, Denver, and the Front Range — and how it compared to climatology.
