Grand Junction, CO climate
Grand Junction has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 95°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 18 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Grand Junction feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Grand Junction 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 | 40° | 18° | 0.6" | 4.5" | 6 | 12 | 20° – 38° |
| February | 48° | 24° | 0.5" | 2.9" | 6 | 4 | 30° – 43° |
| March | 60° | 32° | 0.7" | 1.8" | 7 | 1 | 41° – 51° |
| April | 67° | 38° | 0.9" | 0.9" | 7 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| May | 78° | 47° | 0.8" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| June | 90° | 56° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| July | 95° | 63° | 0.7" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 74° – 84° |
| August | 92° | 61° | 0.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 72° – 81° |
| September | 83° | 51° | 1.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| October | 69° | 39° | 1.0" | 0.4" | 6 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 54° | 28° | 0.6" | 1.9" | 5 | 1 | 34° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 19° | 0.5" | 5.2" | 6 | 7 | 22° – 36° |
| Year | 68° | 40° | 8.6" | 17.7" | 72 | 24 |
“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 Grand Junction
Grand Junction gets 9 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 72 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 24 days of the year.
About 171 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 28 and the first one by October 16. That leaves about 171 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 59% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Grand Junction
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Grand Junction, 82% of that work is heating and 18% 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.
Grand Junction and its neighbors
Grand Junction borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.8°. Redlands has both the coldest January nights (17°) and the hottest July afternoons (96°). Grand Junction’s January low is 18° and its July high 95°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Grand Junction 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 Grand Junction averaged 2.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.3°). The shift is larger than in 100% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Grand Junction’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 20° to 38°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Grand Junction’s climate
What is the coldest month in Grand Junction?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Grand Junction?
July, with a typical high of 95° and a low of 63°. About 68 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Grand Junction get?
About 18 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Grand Junction?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 28.
What is the rainiest month in Grand Junction?
September, with 1.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 9 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Grand Junction itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Grand Junction Walker Fld, CO (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.