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Climate in Denver, Colorado: Monthly Weather Averages

By the AverageClimate Editorial Team · Last updated: October 2026

Denver sits at 5,286 feet above sea level, and its climate, as recorded at the Denver-Stapleton, CO station, runs to a yearly mean of 51.4°F. The warmest month is July, averaging 74.8°F with typical highs of 90.2°F; the coldest is December, averaging 31.8°F with lows around 17.7°F. Across a normal year the city receives 15.4 in of precipitation and 49.0 in of snow. The full month-by-month picture below comes from the official 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals — the 30-year averages the National Weather Service itself uses — so it describes the Denver climate you should actually plan around, whether you are timing a visit, weighing a move, or just settling an argument about which month is best.

Denver climate month by month

The table below is the complete 1991–2020 normals profile for Denver: average high, average low and mean temperature, rainfall, and snowfall for every month. Read down the Mean column to feel the year's rhythm — Denver's temperature range runs from 31.8°F in December to 74.8°F in July.

How to read the colors:below freezingcoldcoolmildwarmhot. Bands are colored by each cell's own temperature, so a whole year reads at a glance.

Denver through the seasons

Winter in Denver averages highs of 45.9–47.5°F and lows of 17.6–19.3°F, a seasonal mean of 32.4°F. The three months together bring 1.5 in of precipitation — about 10% of the city's yearly total — with February the wettest of the three at 0.53 in. Snowfall averages 20.6 in over the season, most of it in February (7.6 in). It is a genuinely cold season — heavy coats, freezing nights, and the year's most changeable weather — without being locked below freezing around the clock.

Spring in Denver averages highs of 56.4–71.7°F and lows of 27.1–43.4°F, a seasonal mean of 49.2°F. The three months together bring 5.1 in of precipitation — about 33% of the city's yearly total — with May the wettest of the three at 2.29 in. Snowfall averages 16.4 in over the season, most of it in March (8.8 in). The season is a transition: the average temperature climbs 15.8°F from March to May, and by late spring Denver is firmly into mild territory.

Summer in Denver averages highs of 84.1–90.2°F and lows of 52.9–59.3°F, a seasonal mean of 71.9°F. The three months together bring 5.6 in of precipitation — about 37% of the city's yearly total — with July the wettest of the three at 2.12 in. Summers are hot in the classic sense — most afternoons reach the 90s, and shade, water, and air conditioning shape the daily routine.

Fall in Denver averages highs of 54.8–80.1°F and lows of 25.5–48.2°F, a seasonal mean of 51.9°F. The three months together bring 3.2 in of precipitation — about 21% of the city's yearly total — with September the wettest of the three at 1.51 in. Snowfall averages 12.0 in over the season, most of it in November (7.3 in). Temperatures ease off through the season — the monthly mean drops 24.0°F from September to November — and fall is when Denver's weather turns crisp and dry, with the first freezes arriving by November.

Best and worst months to visit Denver

Ranking every month by its normals — mild mean temperatures score best, heavy rain and snow count against — the most comfortable months to visit Denver are:

JuneJulyAugust

June leads the list: average highs of 84.1°F, lows of 52.9°F, and 1.68 in of rain, with snow a non-factor at 0.0 in. The other picks, July and August, offer the same balance in Denver's mild stretch of the year. At the other end, December is usually the month to avoid — deep-winter cold, with a mean temperature of 31.8°F and 0.47 in of precipitation plus 6.6 in of snow.

How Denver compares

Across the 114 cities in our dataset, the typical city averages 57.8°F for the year and 35.7 in of precipitation. Denver runs 6.4°F cooler than that typical city and drier by 20.3 in a year, ranking #83 of 114 for annual warmth and #97 of 114 for precipitation (wettest first). Its year-round temperature swing — warmest month minus coldest — is 43.0°F, which puts it in the moderate, clearly seasonal camp.

Within Colorado, Denver is #2 of 3 for warmth of the cities we track. See the Colorado climate overview for the full state comparison, including Boulder (warmest, 51.5°F yearly mean) and Colorado Springs (coolest, 50.4°F).

Planning notes for Denver

For anyone relocating: average overnight lows drop below freezing in 5 months (January, February, March, November, December), so heating, winter tires, and pipe protection are real seasonal concerns; 1 month averages highs of 90°F or more, making air conditioning a core cost of summer life; days and nights differ by 29.7°F on average — a big desert-style swing that rewards dressing in layers year-round; 5 months of the year average between 55°F and 80°F, the band most people find comfortable without heating or cooling. Those four facts, all straight from the normals table above, shape everything from a Denver wardrobe to its utility bills.

Denver climate FAQ

Source: 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) — ncei.noaa.gov. Station: Denver-Stapleton, CO (USW00023062), elevation 5,286 ft. Figures checked October 2026.