Arapahoe, CO climate
Arapahoe has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Arapahoe feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Arapahoe 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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 17° | 0.3" | 3.4" | 2 | 4 | 20° – 38° |
| February | 47° | 19° | 0.4" | 4.6" | 3 | 4 | 25° – 41° |
| March | 57° | 28° | 0.8" | 3.6" | 4 | 3 | 36° – 50° |
| April | 65° | 35° | 1.5" | 1.7" | 5 | 1 | 44° – 55° |
| May | 74° | 46° | 2.4" | 0.2" | 7 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| June | 86° | 56° | 2.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| July | 91° | 62° | 3.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 72° – 81° |
| August | 88° | 60° | 2.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| September | 81° | 51° | 1.2" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| October | 68° | 37° | 1.3" | 1.5" | 4 | 1 | 44° – 58° |
| November | 54° | 26° | 0.5" | 1.7" | 2 | 1 | 32° – 47° |
| December | 44° | 18° | 0.4" | 3.8" | 3 | 5 | 23° – 35° |
| Year | 67° | 38° | 17.5" | 20.5" | 54 | 18 |
“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 Arapahoe
Arapahoe gets 17 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 54 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 18 days of the year.
About 165 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 1 and the first one by October 14. That leaves about 165 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 65% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Arapahoe
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Arapahoe, 85% of that work is heating and 15% 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 Arapahoe 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 Arapahoe averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 70% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Arapahoe’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 20° to 38°. July is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Arapahoe’s climate
What is the coldest month in Arapahoe?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Arapahoe?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 62°. About 62 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Arapahoe get?
About 21 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Arapahoe?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by May 1.
What is the rainiest month in Arapahoe?
July, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 17 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Arapahoe itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Arapahoe, CO (1 mi, snow) and Cheyenne Wells 2ne, CO (8 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.