Aspen, CO climate
Aspen has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 171 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Aspen feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Aspen 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 | 33° | 10° | 1.5" | 28.1" | 13 | 31 | 16° – 27° |
| February | 37° | 11° | 1.7" | 28.3" | 13 | 29 | 20° – 31° |
| March | 45° | 19° | 1.9" | 26.9" | 11 | 30 | 27° – 37° |
| April | 52° | 25° | 2.1" | 20.9" | 13 | 18 | 34° – 44° |
| May | 63° | 34° | 1.7" | 7.0" | 11 | 3 | 43° – 51° |
| June | 74° | 41° | 1.0" | 0.4" | 7 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| July | 80° | 46° | 1.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| August | 77° | 45° | 1.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| September | 70° | 38° | 1.7" | 1.0" | 10 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| October | 58° | 28° | 1.7" | 10.2" | 9 | 5 | 37° – 48° |
| November | 43° | 18° | 1.5" | 20.5" | 10 | 21 | 22° – 38° |
| December | 33° | 9° | 1.5" | 27.5" | 12 | 31 | 17° – 27° |
| Year | 55° | 27° | 19.7" | 170.8" | 133 | 168 |
“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 Aspen
Aspen gets 20 inches of rain and melted snow a year. April is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 133 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 168 days of the year.
About 113 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 2 and the first one by September 23. That leaves about 113 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Aspen
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Aspen, 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 Aspen 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 Aspen averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Aspen’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 22° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Aspen’s climate
What is the coldest month in Aspen?
December, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Aspen?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 46°.
How much snow does Aspen get?
About 171 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Aspen?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 23, and the last spring frost by June 2.
What is the rainiest month in Aspen?
April, with 2.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 20 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Aspen itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Aspen 1sw, CO (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.