It has been a frustrating pattern for residents of Cortez during the recent dry spell: Watch the clouds roll in during the late afternoon, offering the promise of rain, only to see a few sprinkles and a lot of lightning.

Local weatherman Jim Andrus of Cortez says there is no "foreseeable relief" from the heat for at least the next five to 10 days.

June is typically the driest month of the year for the Cortez area but this month was even drier than average. Cortez normally receives 0.48 inches of rain in June, but this June received only 0.05 inches, just 10 percent of the normal precipitation for the month.

"It was dry even for a dry month," Andrus said.

He attributes the hot temperatures both locally and statewide to a "persistent, well-entrenched mass of hot, dry air."

The heat wasn’t confined to Southwest Colorado. Front Range officials are saying that this was the seventh-hottest June since weather records have officially been kept.

The hottest temperature in June locally was 96 degrees, which Cortez reached on June 22 and again on June 29. Cortez hit 90 degrees or higher 13 times during the month.

The rain also seems to be dodging the city while hitting other spots. Areas such as Dolores reported rainfall on Sunday, whereas Cortez had only a few spatters.

Part of the problem plaguing Cortez is a weather phenomenon known by forecasters as "precipitable rain," when the air is so hot that the rain simply evaporates before it hits the ground.

The resulting dry thunderstorms can wreak havoc for local fire departments, as was the case Sunday when the Cortez Volunteer Fire Department had to respond to several lightning-sparked fires. Fires were reported west of Graffis Motors, on the north ridge of McElmo Canyon and in Hartman Draw.

Fire Chief Charlie Rosenbaugh said Monday that most of the fires were single-tree blazes and with the help of some rain were doused fairly fast. Several lightning-caused fires were also reported near Towaoc and in the Lewis-Arriola area.

Rosenbaugh said the best that the fire department can do about the risk of lightning-caused fires is to "take one fire at time." He also said if a fire does grow beyond a single tree, he would not hesitate to call for the use of the BIA or Mesa Verde helicopter to provide water drops.