The Climate
Anything but Ordinary
The Denver-metro area is known for its semi-arid, high-desert climate, though the weather is heavily influenced by the proximity of the Rocky Mountains and Front Range. If one word describes the climate in Colorado it’s "unpredictable". In fact, the only thing remotely predictable is the chance of sunshine – with the state averaging over 300 days per year – and the changing of the seasons.
Spring brings a mixture of snowfall and rain showers to 80 degree days. Summers are relatively mild and dry with an occasional thundershower or snowfall. Yes, snow. The latest (or earliest) recorded snow was in Independence, Colorado on June 11, 2007! Fall features spectacular color with the changing of the aspen leaves (mid-to-late September) and mild temperatures – or as we call it, jeans and t-shirt weather. Traditionally, the first snowfall occurs in late October or early November. Winter also varies in temperature with a record low of -61°F in 1985 and a record high of 83°F in 1999. Though the city gets a fair amount of snow in the winter, it usually melts within a few days.
The best advice about Colorado weather is to be prepared for anything. After all, sometimes when there’s a blizzard in the mountains, it’s a 70 degree, sunny day in the foothills!
