Frederick, CO climate
Frederick has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 47 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Frederick feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Frederick 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 | 45° | 16° | 0.4" | 5.9" | 5 | 21° – 37° |
| February | 47° | 19° | 0.4" | 9.4" | 7 | 28° – 41° |
| March | 57° | 27° | 1.0" | 8.2" | 7 | 36° – 48° |
| April | 63° | 33° | 1.8" | 5.2" | 8 | 43° – 54° |
| May | 72° | 43° | 2.3" | 1.3" | 11 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 84° | 52° | 1.5" | 0 | 8 | 64° – 73° |
| July | 90° | 58° | 1.6" | 0 | 9 | 70° – 77° |
| August | 88° | 56° | 1.5" | 0 | 8 | 68° – 75° |
| September | 80° | 47° | 1.2" | 0 | 6 | 59° – 68° |
| October | 66° | 35° | 1.0" | 3.4" | 7 | 43° – 56° |
| November | 54° | 25° | 0.7" | 5.7" | 5 | 31° – 46° |
| December | 45° | 17° | 0.4" | 8.3" | 5 | 24° – 35° |
| Year | 66° | 36° | 13.8" | 47.4" | 84 |
“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 Frederick
Frederick gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and December the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 84 days a year.
About 155 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first one by October 7. That leaves about 155 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 76% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Frederick
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Frederick, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Frederick and its neighbors
Frederick borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.4°. Firestone has both the coldest January nights (16°) and the hottest July afternoons (91°). Frederick’s January low is 16° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Frederick 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 Frederick averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Frederick’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 21° to 37°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Frederick’s climate
What is the coldest month in Frederick?
January, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Frederick?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 58°. About 49 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Frederick get?
About 47 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Frederick?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 7, and the last spring frost by May 3.
What is the rainiest month in Frederick?
May, with 2.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Frederick itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Longmont 2.1 N, CO (10 mi, snow) and Brighton 3 Se, CO (13 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.