Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 51°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Denver, CO Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 51°F
- Avg annual temp
- 54/100
- Comfort score
- 14.5"
- Annual precip
- 157d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Denver
Denver, Colorado averages 51°F a year and scores 54/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 27% of U.S. cities.
- 51°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 14.5"
- annual precipitation
- 157 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
51°F (11°C)
Avg High
65°F
Avg Low
37°F
Annual Precip
14.5"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
51°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
14.5"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Denver) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Denver area.
How Denver compares to every U.S. city
Denver's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
54 Top 73% higher than 27% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Denver
MethodologyZooming out from Denver's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45°F (7°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 0.4" | 29.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 46°F (8°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 0.4" | 26.1 | 0.0 |
| March | 56°F (13°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 0.9" | 23.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 62°F (17°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 1.7" | 13.2 | 0.0 |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 2.2" | 2.9 | 0.8 |
| June | 83°F (29°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 1.9" | 0.0 | 8.6 |
| July | 90°F (32°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 2.1" | 0.0 | 18.8 |
| August | 88°F (31°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 1.6" | 0.0 | 13.8 |
| September | 80°F (26°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 1.4" | 0.7 | 4.2 |
| October | 65°F (19°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 1.0" | 9.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 53°F (12°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 0.6" | 22.7 | 0.0 |
| December | 44°F (7°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 0.3" | 29.2 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.4"
4.4 days with precipitation
February 0.4"
5.5 days with precipitation
March 0.9"
6.2 days with precipitation
April 1.7"
9.0 days with precipitation
May 2.2"
10.4 days with precipitation
June 1.9"
8.1 days with precipitation
July 2.1"
8.3 days with precipitation
August 1.6"
7.5 days with precipitation
September 1.4"
6.0 days with precipitation
October 1.0"
5.3 days with precipitation
November 0.6"
4.6 days with precipitation
December 0.3"
4.4 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 9
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 5
50% probability date
Growing Season
157 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,862
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
850
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 52% | 9.7 | N/A | N/A |
| February | 47% | 10.6 | N/A | N/A |
| March | 47% | 11.3 | 9% | 17% |
| April | 49% | 11.0 | 4% | 23% |
| May | 50% | 10.3 | 2% | 13% |
| June | 41% | 10.0 | 8% | 5% |
| July | 47% | 9.3 | 4% | 7% |
| August | 42% | 9.5 | 7% | 6% |
| September | 44% | 9.4 | 12% | 11% |
| October | 47% | 9.5 | N/A | N/A |
| November | 49% | 9.6 | 5% | 13% |
| December | 52% | 9.6 | N/A | N/A |
What Denver's climate means for you
Denver runs 51°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 157 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 5 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 5,862 heating and 850 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Denver, CO
Denver, Colorado runs an annual average of 51°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 65°F to a mean daily low of 37°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Drawn from station USW00003017, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Denver receives roughly 14.5 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 157 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 5 and the first fall freeze near October 9. For energy use, 5,862 heating degree days and 850 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Denver scores 54/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and December-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Denver, CO? ▼
The average annual temperature in Denver, Colorado is 51°F. The warmest month averages 90°F (32°C) and the coldest averages 18°F (-8°C).
How much rain does Denver get? ▼
Denver receives 14.5 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Denver? ▼
Denver has a climate comfort score of 54/100 (Moderate), milder than 27% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Denver? ▼
Denver has approximately 157 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 5 and the first fall freeze around October 9.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Denver? ▼
Denver has 5,862 heating degree days and 850 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Denver climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00003017 near Denver.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00003017. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.