Black Hawk, CO climate
Black Hawk has chilly, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 195 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Black Hawk feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Black Hawk 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 | 35° | 16° | 0.7" | 17.4" | 10 | 26 | 21° – 32° |
| February | 37° | 16° | 0.9" | 23.2" | 10 | 25 | 22° – 33° |
| March | 43° | 21° | 1.9" | 35.6" | 11 | 22 | 27° – 38° |
| April | 50° | 26° | 2.8" | 42.0" | 14 | 18 | 32° – 43° |
| May | 58° | 34° | 2.7" | 16.6" | 14 | 6 | 40° – 50° |
| June | 70° | 42° | 2.0" | 0.9" | 12 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| July | 75° | 48° | 2.5" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| August | 73° | 46° | 2.4" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| September | 66° | 40° | 1.8" | 2.7" | 10 | 1 | 48° – 57° |
| October | 55° | 30° | 1.3" | 16.1" | 8 | 5 | 36° – 48° |
| November | 43° | 22° | 0.9" | 18.4" | 8 | 17 | 25° – 40° |
| December | 36° | 16° | 0.6" | 21.8" | 9 | 24 | 19° – 30° |
| Year | 53° | 30° | 20.3" | 194.7" | 136 | 143 |
“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 Hawk
Black Hawk gets 20 inches of rain and melted snow a year. April is the wettest month and December the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 136 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 143 days of the year.
About 103 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 5 and the first one by September 16. That leaves about 103 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Black Hawk
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Black Hawk, 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 Black Hawk 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 Hawk averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 50% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Black Hawk’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 25° to 40°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Black Hawk’s climate
What is the coldest month in Black Hawk?
February, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Black Hawk?
July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 48°.
How much snow does Black Hawk get?
About 195 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Black Hawk?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 16, and the last spring frost by June 5.
What is the rainiest month in Black Hawk?
April, with 2.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 20 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Black Hawk itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Coal Creek Canyon, CO (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.