Professor and Colorado State Climatologist Russ Schumacher presented at the @climate.colostate.edu's symposium commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Big Thompson Flood held in Estes Park, Colorado.
Colorado Climate Center
@climate.colostate.edu
Climate monitoring, climate research, and climate services for Colorado. Based at the Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University. https://climate.colostate.edu
Happy 150th birthday, Colorado! Here's one of our favorite maps: average annual precipitation with color shading inspired by the state flag. It nicely illustrates the many variations in weather and climate across our beautiful state. 🎂🥳
Today is the 50th anniversary of the Big Thompson flood of July 31, 1976: one of the deadliest disasters in Colorado history. An intense rainstorm led to a rapid flood wave down the canyon where many people were commemorating Colorado's centennial. 144 people lost their lives. #cowx 1/
Significant flash flooding yesterday in multiple parts of Colorado, including the Gold Mountain and Aspen Acres burn scars, resulting in debris flows, road closures, and evacuations #cowx
The Denver Post@denverpost.com · 6d agoUPDATE: Red Mountain Pass — a section of U.S. 550 that travels from Ouray to Silverton — remains closed in both directions this morning.
New blog post: have you ever looked at the US Drought Monitor and wondered how the map gets put together? This post describes the methods that underpin drought monitoring, along with some of the challenges of depicting all types of drought on a single map.
US Drought Monitor 101 - Colorado Climate Blog
Every Thursday morning, a colorful map of the United States updates online. Published by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the U.S. Drought Monitor (...
climate.colostate.edu
Extreme heat warning for parts of western Colorado through Monday: “Dangerously hot conditions with prolonged afternoon temperatures in the 100 to 106 range this weekend into early next week. Warm night time temperatures will bring little to no relief overnight.” #cowx
IEMBot Grand Junction@gjt.weather.im · 4w agoGJT continues Extreme Heat Warning for Central Yampa River Basin, Debeque to Silt Corridor, Grand Valley, Lower Yampa River Basin [CO] and Arches/Grand Flat, Eastern Uinta Basin [UT] till Jul 14, 12:00 AM MDT Link
Join the @climate.colostate.edu on Friday, July 31 at the Estes Valley Community Center. A suite of invited experts will look back on the history, meteorology, hydrology, and warning systems the day of the 1976 Big Thompson Flood. climate.colostate.edu/blog/index.p...
You're Invited: Remembering the 50th Anniversary of the 1976 Big Thompson Flood - Colorado Climate Blog
Happy July! As we start the new month, our office is busy preparing to commemorate one of Colorado’s most impactful weather events: the 1976 Big Thompson Flood. Nearly 50 years ago, on July 31, 1976, ...
climate.colostate.edu
Warm and dry conditions returned to Colorado in June, with several fast-growing fires starting late in the month. June is also the typical peak for severe thunderstorms in Colorado, and this year was no exception. Read more in our monthly climate summary: climate.colostate.edu/monthly_summ...
Monsoon rains are on the horizon, experts say. Will they arrive soon enough to dampen fire risk?
Monsoon rains are on the horizon, experts say. Will they arrive soon enough to dampen fire risk?
Large fires have ignited in Colorado, and rain this week will offer some relief before a weekend heatwave. Monsoon rains are on the horizon.
coloradosun.com
Wildfires have grown quickly in Colorado in the last week amid dry and windy conditions. We've revamped the interactive maps of large wildfires on our website, to also include currently active fires (updated daily). climate.colostate.edu/large_wildfi... #cowx
new blog post: where do things stand with the drought in Colorado, and where are we headed? #cowx
Where do things stand with the drought, and where are we headed? - Colorado Climate Blog
After the worst year for mountain snowpack since snowpack has been measured, we are now starting to see the extremely low river flows that were expected as a result. Some areas have received beneficia...
climate.colostate.edu
The @climate.colostate.edu supports Colorado through alarming drought conditions. With three-quarters of the state in severe drought, Colorado’s Drought Task Force is leaning on Professor Russ Schumacher for regular updates on statewide conditions. engr.source.colostate.edu/colorado-cli...
Colorado Climate Center supports state through alarming drought conditions
Colorado’s Drought Task Force is leaning on Russ Schumacher, atmospheric science professor at Colorado State University, for regular updates on statewide conditions.
engr.source.colostate.edu
It was a pretty normal May across Colorado, which might have felt unusual after all the warmth recently. May concluded the warmest spring on record for Colorado. There was beneficial rainfall (and snowfall!) but drought persisted. More in our May summary: climate.colostate.edu/monthly_summ...
Critical fire weather in western Colorado each day from today (Saturday) through Tuesday, with hot, dry, and windy conditions. Graphic from NWS Grand Junction (www.weather.gov/media/gjt/Ds...) #cowx
![Critical Fire Weather
Today through Tuesday
1. What: Critical fire weather
Low relative humidity and gusty winds are expected
2. When: Today through Tuesday
Each afternoon and early evening
3. Where: Western Colorado and Eastern Utah
Where fuels are critical, which is most locations below 8,000 feet
What's Changed
Graphics have been updated to include the latest forecast. Humidity and wind graphics for Tuesday have been included.
Centered Area: NWS Grand Junction, Co
Fire Weather Conditions
[3] Extremely Critical
Critical
Elevated
Dry Thunderstorm
Coverage
2] Scattered
1 Isolated
OUTDOOR FIRES COULD
QUICKLY SPREAD
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
AVOID OUTDOOR
BURNING
REPORT FIRES TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES
For more information go to www.weather.gov/git
National Weather Service
Grand Junction, CO](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:t22wdmsznfarof7spe4k4lwc/bafkreigofltcodjmruzmpnseaz3zwxtccss4qd3keoh2r57fruhdwji4p4)
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declares statewide drought emergency
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declares statewide drought emergency
denverpost.com
Colorado officials call for more state actions to combat impacts of drought
Colorado officials call for more state actions to combat impacts of drought
The Colorado Drought Task Force called for an emergency drought proclamation from Gov. Jared Polis to unlock more resources to fight drought.
coloradosun.com
Updates from this week's state Water Conditions Monitoring Committee meeting, including the flash drought in southeastern Colorado and the welcome rain in northern Colorado, in this @coloradosun.com story.
A flash drought in southeastern Colorado primed plains for the Sharpe fire
A flash drought in April left the southeastern Colorado plains dry and primed for fire. Then dry lightning hit, and the Sharpe fire ignited.
coloradosun.com
🏜️ CO Drought Update: The northern half of CO saw substantial precipitation earlier this week, leading to improvements for some in the latest Drought Monitor. Southern CO saw less moisture, prompting deteriorating drought conditions in the San Luis Valley.
Severe thunderstorm activity will be ramping up in eastern Colorado this weekend, right on time in mid-May. Here’s a blog post from a couple years ago with the where and when of Colorado severe weather, along with where to get timely information. #cowx
Ramping up to peak severe thunderstorm and tornado season in Colorado - Colorado Climate Blog
The midwest and south have been very active with severe weather lately, but it’s been relatively quiet here in Colorado so far. But we’ve reached the middle of May, which is the time of year when the ...
climate.colostate.edu
Colorado’s Drought Task Force ramps up response to record-breaking conditions
Colorado’s Drought Task Force ramps up response to record-breaking conditions
Officials are working to identify local drought impacts and vulnerabilities as the group kicks into gear for the first time since 2020.
coloradosun.com
After a record-shattering March, April seemed at least a little more normal in Colorado. But it was again warmer than average. Flash drought set in across the eastern Plains. Mountain snowmelt slowed, but remained record low. Read more in our April 2026 summary: climate.colostate.edu/monthly_summ...
9 years ago today, the costliest hailstorm in U.S. and Colorado history pummeled the west side of the Denver metro area. An estimated 150k auto insurance claims came in after baseball-size hail blasted Wheat Ridge, Arvada, and Lakewood. It destroyed the Colorado Mills mall. What do you remember?
🏜️ Colorado Drought Update: It's been a while since we've had drought improvements to report on! A few parts of the state finally saw some beneficial rainfall. Meanwhile, drought conditions continued to worsen in southeast CO as mostly dry conditions persisted. #cowx
This is my new favorite graphic produced by @climate.colostate.edu and @rschumacher.cloud. It's also been quite fascinating to watch the accumulation of above average temperatures for the water year. Find it here: climate.colostate.edu/co_cag/
March 2026 rewrote the record books for early-spring warmth in Colorado. It was warmer than most Aprils. Hundreds of temperature records were set across the state, including a new March record of 99°F. The heat was prolonged, and it was also very dry. Read more in our monthly state climate summary.👇
CO Monthly Climate Summary
climate.colostate.edu
March was...not helpful. NOAA CBRFC's April 1st (50% exceedance) forecast now has Lake Powell April-July inflows at 1400 KAF, 22% of average. Only 2002 (963 KAF) and 1977 (1208 KAF) ended up with lower inflows than that. If dry conditions continue through spring, 2026 could drop below 2002.
Mountain snowpack in Colorado should be peaking around now. This year, it's almost gone. New blog post that shows how it is now clear that this is the worst snowpack year on record for Colorado, following the record-shattering March warmth. 1/
Mountain snowpack should be peaking around now. This year, it's almost gone - Colorado Climate Blog
We’ve reached April 1, which is a key date in assessing where things stand with snow in the mountains, which then informs the likely water supply in streams and rivers later in the spring and summer. ...
climate.colostate.edu
The March summary for the Fort Collins weather station that our office maintains is chock-full of eye-popping stats. Highest single-month temperature anomaly in the 130+ year period of record, 8 days warmer than the previous March record, earliest 90° day on record by over a month, and more. #cowx
climate.colostate.edu
“This year is on a whole other level,” said Colorado State University climatologist Dr Russ Schumacher, speaking about the intense heat that began rapidly melting the already sparse snowpack in March. “Seeing this year so far below any of the other years we have data for is very concerning.” #cowx
‘On a whole other level’: rapid snow melt-off in American west stuns scientists
Experts say brutal March heat has left critical snowpack at record-low levels – and key basins in uncharted territory
theguardian.com