Alma, CO climate
Alma has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 71°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 157 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Alma feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Alma weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 8° | 1.1" | 18.8" | 11 | 14° – 25° |
| February | 33° | 9° | 1.2" | 20.1" | 11 | 16° – 27° |
| March | 40° | 16° | 1.5" | 21.1" | 11 | 23° – 34° |
| April | 45° | 22° | 1.9" | 26.6" | 12 | 29° – 39° |
| May | 55° | 30° | 1.7" | 11.8" | 9 | 38° – 48° |
| June | 66° | 38° | 1.0" | 0.8" | 6 | 47° – 57° |
| July | 71° | 42° | 2.1" | 0.2" | 12 | 52° – 60° |
| August | 68° | 41° | 2.2" | 0 | 14 | 51° – 59° |
| September | 62° | 35° | 1.4" | 1.0" | 9 | 43° – 53° |
| October | 50° | 25° | 1.3" | 13.8" | 8 | 32° – 43° |
| November | 39° | 16° | 1.1" | 25.1" | 9 | 19° – 35° |
| December | 31° | 9° | 1.1" | 17.6" | 10 | 14° – 25° |
| Year | 49° | 24° | 17.5" | 156.9" | 121 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Alma
Alma gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 121 days a year.
About 83 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 16 and the first one by September 9. That leaves about 83 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 100% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Alma
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Alma, 100% of that work is heating and 0% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Alma compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Alma averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.0°). The shift is smaller than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Alma’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. November swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 19° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Alma’s climate
What is the coldest month in Alma?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Alma?
July, with a typical high of 71° and a low of 42°.
How much snow does Alma get?
About 157 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Alma?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 9, and the last spring frost by June 16.
What is the rainiest month in Alma?
August, with 2.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Alma itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Leadville Lake Co Airport, CO (14 mi, snow) and Fairplay S Park Rd, CO (6 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.