Ouray, CO Climate

Climate Insight: Ouray, CO

An annual average temperature of 44°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 55°F to a mean daily low of 33°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Ouray, Colorado. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00056203 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.

Ouray averages 23.6 inches of precipitation a year, with 126.4 inches typically falling as snow, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 137 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 17 and the first fall freeze near October 1. As for energy demand, 7,684 heating degree days and 117 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Ouray scores 44/100 (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 January-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.