Western Colorado Weather: Monsoonal Moisture Wanes as Summer Heat Returns

After several days of increasingly soggy weather, the storms are finally starting to back off.

Friday should bring more isolated thunderstorms, mainly over the Colorado high country. A few could still pack a punch, with localized heavy rain and small hail possible.

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Friday: Fewer Storms, Same Old Trouble

The National Weather Service reports that moisture is declining, and Thursday appears to have been the peak of this particular monsoonal push. That should mean fewer storms Friday, but it doesn't mean we're completely out of the woods.

The best chance for stronger storms will be over Colorado's higher terrain, where a little extra instability and slightly stronger winds aloft could help a few storms get their act together. Heavy rain and small hail are possible.

Burn Scars Still Deserve Attention

The biggest concern remains localized heavy rainfall. Even with fewer storms around, a slow-moving cell can dump a lot of water in a hurry.

That means burn scars and other vulnerable areas across Western Colorado and eastern Utah remain susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows Friday. Don't let the word "isolated" fool you into thinking nothing can happen.

Read More: Does California Get Colorado's Water? The 1922 Compact Explained

The Mountains Keep Making Their Own Weather

The daily parade of afternoon showers and thunderstorms isn't going away completely.

Southwesterly flow will continue feeding enough moisture into the region for terrain-driven storms through the weekend and into next week. Without much upper-level support, storms should generally be less impressive, but we'll still have the usual mountain-weather wild cards.

And, Naturally, It Gets Hotter Again

Just when we started getting used to cooler temperatures, the thermometer is preparing to turn around.

Temperatures will gradually climb through the weekend and next week, with highs expected to get back to roughly five degrees above normal by the middle of next week.

Because apparently we weren't done with summer yet.