Outdoor Report

University of Montana Climate Office launches regional project to strengthen drought resilience while the Four Corners shifts its focus to snowpack

A quick-moving trough brings breezy winds and isolated mountain showers today, with sunshine midweek and cooler, wetter weather returning this weekend.

Aspens across the San Juans are starting to turn, with peak fall color expected from late September into early October. Early changes are showing near Silverton, Red Mountain Pass, and Telluride, while Dolores, Rico, and La Plata Canyon remain mostly green.

Showers and thunderstorms mark the first day of fall in the Four Corners, with gusty winds, heavy rain, and even light high-elevation snow possible. Cooler weather Tuesday, then sunshine returns midweek.

The Bureau of Reclamation has lowered Navajo Dam releases from 650 to 500 cfs to support endangered fish habitat along the San Juan River. Flows will remain within recovery program targets, with adjustments possible based on conditions.

Southwest Colorado and the Four Corners begin the week mostly dry with sunshine and near-normal temps. Northern mountains may see isolated showers today, with more storms possible Tuesday as a cold front moves in.

Motorcycle fatalities in Colorado have risen 57% since 2015, with 165 deaths in 2024. CDOT urges riders to wear helmets, follow speed limits, and practice safe lane filtering this September.

Afternoon storms continue today across Colorado’s high country, with a stronger system later this week bringing widespread rain, thunderstorms, and cooler temperatures across the Four Corners.

A new study shows severe wildfires in western U.S. forests are accelerating and could triple by mid-century without expanded management strategies.

Drought lingers in the Four Corners as NASA data shows 28 million acre-feet of groundwater lost across the Colorado River Basin since 2002.