Colorado's Hottest Summer Ever Has a Surprising Number

Grand Junction melted through so many consecutive triple-digit days in July and August; I am not surprised at all to hear the news is now official. Colorado recorded its hottest summer in 132 years.

Grand Junction set a new local record for average summer temperature, and alongside a serious lack of precipitation, the Colorado River is now running well below its normal September flow. Keep reading to see photos that show how record summer heat in 2026 has stressed the mighty Colorado River in a major way here in Mesa County.

LOOK: Photos Show What Summer Did to the Colorado River

We kept an eye on the Colorado River in Grand Junction from May through September to see how an incredibly hot summer would affect water levels already stressed by poor snowpack and a lack of rainfall. Here's how the river looked from the southern bank at Eagle Rim as the summer unfolded.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

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Colorado Just Had Its Hottest Summer Ever

June through August 2026 was officially the hottest summer in Colorado's 132-year climate record. This summer has come in 0.7 degrees warmer than the record set in 2012. Data says it was the hottest summer ever for the Western two-thirds of the state, with the average temperature for Grand Junction reaching 80.5 degrees. That’s more than 4 degrees above normal, making this summer our warmest yet.

A Record Summer Meets a Struggling Colorado River

As the extreme heat of 2026 slowly eases, Western Colorado’s rivers and reservoirs are way behind normal September levels and flows, but heat is only part of the water story. The National Resources Conservation Service reported statewide snowpack at just 20% of the median on May 1, with the Colorado River near Cameo forecast at its lowest point in 73 years of record-keeping.

Grand Junction Is More Than 3 Inches Short on Rain

Grand Junction is more than 3 inches behind on rainfall in 2026. The rivers are low, the reservoirs are low, and even the lakes on the Grand Mesa are low. The photo above was taken on 9/11/26 at Island Lake. I've never seen the "island" rejoin the shoreline like that before. Let's hope for a rainy fall and a real winter in all corners of Colorado.

KEEP GOING: Colorado's Grand Mesa Is Turning Gold: See the Photos

It's official: the Grand Mesa has started turning gold. The following photos were taken on Friday, September 11. Fall color will continue to peak now through Powderhorn's fall color weekend on September 26 and 27.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

MORE: Colorado’s First Freeze: When Will It Hit Your Backyard?

Fall can feel a long way off when Western Colorado is still dealing with summer heat, but the first frost has a way of sneaking up on us. The National Weather Service’s historical averages show just how different the timing can be from one community to the next.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

Source: Colorado’s Hottest Summer on Record Is Now Official