Weather Shift: Busy Storm Day Gives Way to Hot, Dry Weekend

If you're already tired of planning your afternoon around thunderstorms, I've got some good news and some bad news.

The bad news is today looks like the busiest storm day of the week. The good news? After that, Western Colorado starts drying out, and the weekend is shaping up to look a whole lot more like late July.

Today Is the Day to Watch

Mother Nature isn't quite done with us yet.

A weather system sliding through the Valley will squeeze every bit of moisture out of the atmosphere this afternoon and evening, helping storms become much more widespread than what we've seen the past few days. In other words, if you've managed to dodge the rain lately, your luck might finally run out.

The usual suspects are all back: lightning, gusty winds, pockets of small hail, and heavy downpours.

Flash Flooding Is Still the Biggest Concern

Here's the part that's worth paying attention to.

Some storms could dump one to two inches of rain in an hour, with even higher amounts possible under the strongest storms. That's especially concerning around recent burn scars, steep canyons, and areas that have already been soaked over the past several days.

Remember, dry washes and creeks have a nasty habit of becoming raging rivers with very little warning, even if the storm is happening several miles away.

We've seen this movie before, and it rarely has a happy ending.

Read More: ICYMI: Heavy Rain Triggers Mudslide and I-70 Closure Near Silt

Then the Weather Flips the Switch

Starting Thursday, the atmosphere gradually begins drying out.

There will still be a few afternoon storms Thursday and Friday, but they'll become less common each day. As the moisture disappears, the biggest threat shifts from heavy rain to strong outflow winds that could gust close to 50 mph.

A Hot Weekend Is Waiting

By the weekend, high pressure settles over Utah and takes control of our weather.

That means sunshine, mostly dry skies, and temperatures climbing to around 10 degrees above normal. Yes, it'll be hot, but it'll also be the kind of heat people love to remind you is "at least it's a dry heat."

For once, they'll actually be right.