Black Forest, CO climate
Black Forest has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 121 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Black Forest feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Black Forest 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 | 43° | 16° | 0.5" | 14.4" | 7 | 23° – 35° |
| February | 43° | 17° | 0.7" | 10.9" | 6 | 25° – 37° |
| March | 50° | 23° | 1.2" | 24.2" | 9 | 31° – 43° |
| April | 55° | 29° | 2.2" | 23.7" | 9 | 36° – 47° |
| May | 64° | 37° | 2.4" | 3.3" | 9 | 44° – 56° |
| June | 76° | 47° | 2.2" | 0 | 11 | 56° – 67° |
| July | 81° | 53° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 63° – 71° |
| August | 78° | 51° | 3.0" | 0 | 14 | 60° – 69° |
| September | 72° | 44° | 1.5" | 1.7" | 7 | 52° – 64° |
| October | 60° | 33° | 1.1" | 11.1" | 5 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 49° | 23° | 0.8" | 18.4" | 8 | 28° – 43° |
| December | 42° | 17° | 0.5" | 13.4" | 7 | 22° – 33° |
| Year | 59° | 33° | 19.6" | 121.1" | 106 |
“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 Black Forest
Black Forest gets 20 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 106 days a year.
About 150 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first one by October 6. That leaves about 150 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 81% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Black Forest
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Black Forest, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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.
Black Forest and its neighbors
Black Forest borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Colorado Springs has both the coldest January nights (17°) and the hottest July afternoons (86°). Black Forest’s January low is 16° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Black Forest 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 Black Forest averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 51% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Black Forest’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 28° to 43°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Black Forest’s climate
What is the coldest month in Black Forest?
January, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Black Forest?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 53°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Black Forest get?
About 121 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Black Forest?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 6, and the last spring frost by May 9.
What is the rainiest month in Black Forest?
July, with 3.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 20 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Black Forest itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Monument, CO (10 mi, snow) and Cumbre Vista - Colorado Spgs 1, 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.