The Old Farmer’s Almanac just dropped its fall forecast, and Colorado should keep the Sunscreen handy

Bad news for anyone who was hoping September would bring pumpkin spice weather to the Front Range: The Old Farmer’s Almanac says fall 2026 is going to feel a lot more like summer’s annoying younger sibling who refuses to leave.

The 234-year-old publication released its fall forecast July 10 and the outlook for Colorado is, in a word, toasty. Eastern Colorado, including Denver and the Front Range, falls in the Almanac’s “High Plains” region, where both September and October are expected to run warmer than average with drier-than-normal precipitation. Translation: Don’t expect those cozy, drizzly autumn afternoons anytime soon. Western Colorado gets a slightly different deal — the southern portion of the Intermountain region is also expected to be warmer than average, but precipitation should come in slightly above normal, which could be welcome news for a state that’s been battling drought and wildfire.

The big wildcard this year? El Niño is officially back. The Almanac says warming ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific are already reshaping weather patterns and will play a major role in what happens through winter 2026-27. The full winter forecast hasn’t dropped yet — that’ll come with the 2027 edition, currently available for preorder — but the Almanac is already teasing that El Niño “can influence where rain, snow, and colder air are most likely to travel across North America.” For Colorado skiers and snowboarders, that’s either very exciting or very nerve-wracking, depending on which El Niño winter you remember.

For what it’s worth, the Almanac claims its predictions land about 80% of the time. Actual meteorologists tend to put that number closer to 50%. But hey — this is the same publication that’s been forecasting weather since George Washington was alive, using a formula involving solar activity, atmospheric conditions and what it only describes as a “secret sauce.”