Dakota Ridge, CO climate
Dakota Ridge has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 130 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Dakota Ridge feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Dakota Ridge 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 | 47° | 19° | 0.6" | 15.0" | 6 | 29 | 25° – 39° |
| February | 48° | 20° | 0.8" | 16.9" | 7 | 28 | 29° – 41° |
| March | 56° | 27° | 1.6" | 26.5" | 8 | 25 | 35° – 47° |
| April | 61° | 33° | 2.3" | 25.1" | 10 | 18 | 42° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 42° | 2.6" | 5.8" | 12 | 3 | 50° – 60° |
| June | 82° | 51° | 1.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| July | 87° | 57° | 2.0" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| August | 85° | 55° | 1.9" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 78° | 47° | 1.3" | 1.2" | 9 | 1 | 57° – 66° |
| October | 66° | 35° | 1.2" | 7.4" | 7 | 4 | 43° – 56° |
| November | 54° | 26° | 0.9" | 14.8" | 6 | 16 | 32° – 47° |
| December | 46° | 19° | 0.6" | 17.0" | 6 | 24 | 26° – 37° |
| Year | 65° | 36° | 17.5" | 129.7" | 110 | 148 |
“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 Dakota Ridge
Dakota Ridge gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 110 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 148 days of the year.
About 160 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first one by October 11. That leaves about 160 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 71% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Dakota Ridge
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Dakota Ridge, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
Dakota Ridge and its neighbors
Dakota Ridge borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Ken Caryl has both the coldest January nights (19°) and the hottest July afternoons (88°). Dakota Ridge’s January low is 19° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Dakota Ridge 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 Dakota Ridge averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 62% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Dakota Ridge’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 32° to 47°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Dakota Ridge’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dakota Ridge?
December, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Dakota Ridge?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 57°. About 33 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Dakota Ridge get?
About 130 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Dakota Ridge?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 11, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Dakota Ridge?
May, with 2.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dakota Ridge itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Inter Canyon, CO (6 mi, snow) and Marston Fltr Plt, CO (4 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.