Colorado Choked by Wildfire Smoke

Wildfire smoke originating from out-of-state fires has caused air quality alerts across all of Colorado as of Tuesday. These advisories, issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, are in effect through at least 9 a.m. Wednesday. Smoke is entering the state from various directions, including from fires in Utah and Nevada to the west, and from other upwind states affecting the northeast.

A recent cold front brought a significant temperature drop to Denver, with highs falling from a record 102 degrees on Monday to a low of 57 degrees overnight. However, this weather shift also created dense, cold air that pulled wildfire smoke closer to the ground. While smoke was already present from the west, the change in weather increased its concentration, with additional smoke arriving from fires in the Pacific Northwest.

The smoke is anticipated to linger through Tuesday before gradually clearing as wind patterns change. Surface-level smoke, influenced by the recent cold front, is expected to dissipate first as temperatures rise. The warmest day of the week in Denver is projected to be Tuesday, with a forecast high around 80 degrees. Temperatures are then expected to climb back into the 90s by Thursday, potentially reaching triple digits over the weekend, which could approach historical August temperature records.