The Stone Canyon Fire near Lyons in Boulder County on July 30, 2024. Credit: John Herrick With year-round wildfire season, record dry and hot weather, flooding and insurers pulling out, it can feel like the climate in Boulder is becoming increasingly inhospitable. Colorado has already warmed 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1980, and most climate models estimate this could rise to 6 degrees by the mid-century. Yet Colorado — and Boulder — have certain factors going for them in terms of resilience to climate change in the near term. The long-term outlook, especially for drought and wildfire, is not as good. “Even though there are elements of climate change that worry me here, I’m fairly comfortable living here for the time being.” said Peter Goble, a climatologist with the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University , who lives in Berthoud. “I would choose here over most places.” If he were starting from scratch, he added, the Front Range wouldn’t be his top choice. “If I were picking a place to live in the U.S. just based off natural resilience to climate change, I might go with the upper regions of New England or the Upper Midwest, like Wisconsin or Michigan.” Goble explained that Colorado’s altitude provides some protection against the worst effects of climate change, particularly extreme heat. This doesn’t mean the area won’t get hotter. Climate models show more of Boulder’s summer days will reach above 90 or even 95 degrees, with those hot days likely extending further into August and September than in the past. But the 115-degree days of Arizona are unlikely to reach Boulder due to its elevation. Extreme heat events, like the recent scorching temperatures in the Southwest, often occur when a high-pressure system traps a thick layer of hot air in the atmosphere […]
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