Summer heat to overtake Steamboat Springs this workweek
Sunday, July 7, 2024
Temperatures are approaching seventy degrees under cloudless late this Sunday morning in Steamboat Springs, on their way to the mid-seventies. Mostly sunny skies with occasional afternoon clouds will accompany rising temperatures through the workweek with upper-eighties expected by Thursday.
A ridge of high pressure is currently centered over the West Coast while dangerous storm Beryl intensifies in the Gulf of Mexico as it approaches the mid-Texas coast. A wave of energy traveling over the ridge will brush our area today with a cool front that will keep high temperatures in the delightful mid-seventies with some afternoon clouds and only the slightest chance of a shower, most likely to our north and east. Like yesterday, any precipitation will likely produce more wind than rain as the rain evaporates in the dry lower atmosphere and cools, forming virga and creating the associated gusty winds when the falling cool air hits the ground.
A large storm developing in the southern Gulf of Alaska is forecast to move eastward through the workweek, pushing the West Coast ridge eastward and toward our area. So look for mostly sunny skies and increasing temperatures, with highs reaching toward eighty degrees on Monday, low-eighties on Tuesday, right at our average of 83 F, mid-eighties on Wednesday and upper-eighties on Thursday.
And our cool crisp overnight low temperatures this past weekend five degrees or so below our average of 45 F will also rise, reaching toward fifty degrees by the end of the workweek as the hot air mass encroaches.
Weather forecast models are insistent we may see a bit of moisture peaking around midweek, possibly drawn from the south and east as small disturbances rotate through the east side of the ridge, with only some possible later-day clouds likely starting by Tuesday afternoon.
Even hotter weather is forecast for next weekend as the ridge of high pressure moves overhead, with the return of moisture from the south now not expected until late in the weekend or soon after. So enjoy the classic summertime weather and check back to my next regularly scheduled weather narrative on Thursday afternoon for more details on when we may see a break from the heat and the return of significant moisture.