Denver Weather

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If you're relocating to Denver, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that the climate is much more temperate than you might think.

Even though most people who’ve never been in the Mile High City have an idea that Denver has a lot of snow, that’s not the case. Our western edge is a mountain range, and that’s where the snow falls. Though skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and other winter sports are readily available from November through May, golf is possible all year long in the metro area.

After living in Minnesota for the first few decades of my life, I’ve enjoyed the mild weather I discovered after relocating to Denver. Winters are generally quite temperate punctuated with snowstorms but no lasting snow. We’ve had several memorable blizzards, notably in 1982, 1997 and one whopper in March 2004 where we had up to four feet in Denver (not drifts, just relentless snow piling up over 24 hours). But the warm sunshine readily melts the snow in a few days, and we’re back to temperate weather. You can count on a January thaw where the temperatures stay in the high 60’s or low 70’s for a week or so. But these aren’t limited to January, they can happen anytime between December and April.

Springs are usually balmy, but we can have plenty of snow in April, one of our snowiest months. Spring generally provides ample warm, sunny days, but that can be over in a heartbeat with the onset of hot weather in May or June. Or it could snow in May as it has from time to time. Never predictable.

Summers can get very hot, as the average temp of 88° tells, but it’s dry, dry, dry. People coming from other parts of the country where humidity reigns can take a breather. The sun is intense at this altitude, so be sure to bring lots of sunscreen.

Fall, like spring, can be cut short. Hot weather usually lasts well into September, sometimes mid-October, but then we can have a snowstorm that ends the colorful fall leaves. One grand experience is Colorado’s “color days,” usually the last weekend or so in September, where a day or weekend trip to the mountains reveals the glorious golden aspens, large swaths of yellow, orange, even red amidst the dark green conifers.

I have several jackets, sweaters and coats, all a different weight, to cover me during cooler weather. Warm sunny days can change in an instant. Don’t get caught in the mountains without a jacket to put on after the sun goes down. Nights are cool, even in the metro area where they rarely top 70°. And if you’re a hiker or mountain climber, never go out alone, and be sure to carry survival gear.

If you’re considering Denver relocation, please feel free to contact me with questions about the climate, or how to get the best home for your family here in Denver Colorado.

Average Monthly Weather Data

Month	Low	High	Precipitation	Sunshine Hours
Jan	15.2°F	43.2°F	0.51in.	71%
Feb	19.1°F	47.2°F	0.49in.	69%
Mar	25.4°F	53.7°F	1.28in.	69%
Apr	34.2°F	60.9°F	1.93in.	67%
May	43.8°F	70.5°F	2.32in.	64%
Jun	53.0°F	82.1°F	1.56in.	70%
Jul	58.7°F	88.0°F	2.16in.	71%
Aug	57.4°F	86.0°F	1.82in.	71%
Sept	47.3°F	77.4°F	1.14in.	74%
Oct	35.9°F	66.0°F	0.99in.	72%
Nov	23.5°F	51.5°F	0.98in.	64%
Dec	16.4°F	44.1°F	0.63in	67%

Links

• Wunderground Weather (my favorite weather site – for $5 annually you can do away with the ads)
• National Weather Service