Cotopaxi, CO climate
Cotopaxi has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Cotopaxi feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cotopaxi 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 | 44° | 11° | 0.2" | 4.0" | 2 | 20° – 33° |
| February | 46° | 15° | 0.2" | 4.1" | 2 | 24° – 37° |
| March | 55° | 23° | 0.6" | 6.5" | 4 | 35° – 44° |
| April | 61° | 28° | 0.8" | 8.0" | 5 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 71° | 37° | 0.9" | 2.7" | 5 | 48° – 58° |
| June | 82° | 45° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 59° – 68° |
| July | 86° | 51° | 1.5" | 0 | 8 | 64° – 72° |
| August | 83° | 49° | 1.6" | 0 | 10 | 63° – 69° |
| September | 76° | 41° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 54° – 64° |
| October | 65° | 30° | 0.6" | 2.6" | 5 | 42° – 52° |
| November | 52° | 20° | 0.3" | 4.1" | 3 | 29° – 43° |
| December | 43° | 11° | 0.3" | 4.7" | 3 | 22° – 34° |
| Year | 64° | 30° | 8.5" | 36.7" | 57 |
“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 Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi gets 8 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 57 days a year.
About 112 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 29 and the first one by September 20. That leaves about 112 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Cotopaxi
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Cotopaxi, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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 Cotopaxi 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 Cotopaxi 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 Cotopaxi’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 29° to 43°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Cotopaxi’s climate
What is the coldest month in Cotopaxi?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Cotopaxi?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 51°. About 15 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Cotopaxi get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Cotopaxi?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 20, and the last spring frost by May 29.
What is the rainiest month in Cotopaxi?
August, with 1.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 8 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Cotopaxi itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Salida, CO (21 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.