Denver is wrapping up the July 4th holiday weekend under a growing threat of severe weather, with temperatures above seasonal averages and an increasing chance for strong thunderstorms, especially across the Eastern Plains.
Saturday began under a marginal risk of severe storms — Level 1 out of 5, according to Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo. She noted that gusty winds and frequent lightning would likely be the primary concerns on Saturday afternoon, particularly across eastern Colorado. While large hail is possible, Sunday presents a higher chance of more damaging weather conditions.
As of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, the National Weather Service in Boulder had not issued any formal severe weather watches, but meteorologists are closely watching for developments throughout the weekend.
Storm development expected along foothills and I-25
According to the National Weather Service, isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected to form by early afternoon along the foothills and the I-25 corridor, with those storms moving eastward into the plains as the day progresses.
Conditions will be most unstable over the Eastern Plains, where moisture and atmospheric instability will contribute to stronger storm development. Forecasters highlight the northeastern corner of Colorado as a zone to watch for heavier rain, lightning, thunder, and gusty winds.
Forecast for Saturday evening in Denver
Temperatures on Saturday will climb into the mid-to-upper 80s °F (about 30 °C) by midday, with sunny skies lasting into the early afternoon. Between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., scattered thunderstorms will begin to pop up and drift eastward.
If you’re heading to the Rockies game tonight to catch the fireworks show, Hidalgo noted that storms should have cleared from Downtown Denver by 10:00 p.m., leaving partly clear skies and temperatures in the mid-70s °F (around 24 °C) for the event.
Higher risk of severe weather Sunday across the plains
Sunday’s forecast shows a notable uptick in the threat of severe storms, particularly for eastern Colorado, where conditions support a slight risk (Level 2 of 5) for larger hail and even isolated tornadoes.
Denver7 will continue monitoring these developments closely and provide live updates throughout the day on Sunday, especially during the afternoon hours, when storms are most likely to intensify.
Stay tuned for the latest on Colorado’s changing weather conditions through Denver7’s 24/7 Weather Stream and hourly forecast updates.
