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Colorado Dries Out! Transitioning Back To Big Heat And Thick Smoke

DENVER (CBS4) - The threat for heavy rain, flooding, and mudslides that has plagued the Colorado high country for days has finally ended. It will be dry statewide by Wednesday night just as wildfire smoke and intense heat make rapid return.

The only Flash Flood Watch in the region on Wednesday is in New Mexico. There are no watches in Colorado and there are not expected to be new threats for flooding and mudslides through at least Sunday. This extended period of mostly dry weather could help accelerate the work CDOT crews are doing in Glenwood Canyon that has caused I-70 to be closed for nearly a week.

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There will still be scattered showers on Colorado's Eastern Plains through Wednesday morning and isolated thunderstorms can not be ruled out almost anywhere Wednesday afternoon. As drier air continued to arrive from west to east, skies will clear in terms of clouds throughout the day. That said, it will continue to be hazy especially in the Denver metro area thanks mostly due to ozone.

Wednesday is the 30th consecutive day with an Air Quality Alert for Denver and the urban corridor.

It will also stay somewhat cooler than usual on Wednesday with high temperatures in the mid 80s around Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins. The normal high temperature in early August is about 89 degrees. Most mountain towns will be in the 60s and 70s on Wednesday instead of the 70s and lower 80s which is more common this time of year.

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Looking ahead to Thursday, skies will be completely clear in terms of clouds but ozone and increasing concentrations of wildfire smoke from the West Coast will make the sky appear very hazy. It will also turn hotter with high temperatures closer to 90 degrees.

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On Friday, the ridge of high pressure responsible for the heat will shift even farther east which will open the door for limited monsoon moisture to return to Colorado. There is a 30% chance for showers and thunderstorms in the mountains on Friday and a slight chance for the metro area as well.

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(source: CBS)

The bigger story for the end of the week and the upcoming weekend is heat. High temperatures will stay in the 90s for metro Denver.

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