Sure, it’s still scorching hot, but now metro Denver has something to shoot for -- the most consecutive days in which the high reaches at least 90.

With a high of 95 expected today, and 90s in the forecast through Tuesday, Denver could get very close to the record of 18 days in a row of 90-plus temperatures.

That mark was set in 1874 and matched in 1901 -- also in July, National Weather Forecast meteorologist Frank Benton said. The record was threatened again in 2000, when there were 17 days in a row of at least 90 degrees.

The past 10 days have seen at least 90 degrees each afternoon, including a 100 on Sunday.

“According to the forecast, it looks like the next five or six days will be in the 90s,” Benton said. “But don’t jump the gun, we could have a system come through that drops the high to 89.”

The best chance of that is Friday, when the forecasted high is right at 90.

“There’s just a big high-pressure ridge that’s not allowing air to come down from the north that would be cooler,” Benton said. “Plus, this is the middle of the summer.”

Although the record hot stretches were set a long time ago, nine of the 25 longest 90-degree-plus streaks have happened since the year 2000.

Once again today, there is about a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening.

Those chances remain about the same on Thursday when the temperature should again be 95 and the winds anemic at 3 to 7 mph.

Showers have a better chance -- 30 percent -- on Friday when the high is expected to be near 90 and the winds from the north will be a bit stronger.

Saturday’s high should be about 92, with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon.

Sunday also is expected to be about 92, but with less of a chance of any rain.

Monday and Tuesday should be in the low 90s.

It’s a great time to be in the mountains, where the highs will be in the 70s or 80s, depending on the elevation. Granby is expecting a high of 83 today and, like much of the high country, a better chance for showers than down on the plains.

Speaking of plains, Lamar in southeast Colorado is expecting 101 today and 100 on Thursday and Friday before a dip all the way to 99 on Saturday.

On the Western Slope, today could be the coolest of the next several, with Grand Junction expecting a high of 92, before highs in the mid-90s through Monday.