Grand Lake, CO climate
Grand Lake has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 155 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Grand Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Grand Lake 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 | 31° | 4° | 1.1" | 30.6" | 15 | 31 | 13° – 24° |
| February | 34° | 6° | 1.1" | 25.1" | 13 | 29 | 15° – 26° |
| March | 42° | 14° | 1.1" | 17.6" | 12 | 31 | 22° – 34° |
| April | 49° | 21° | 1.6" | 17.1" | 11 | 20 | 30° – 40° |
| May | 59° | 29° | 1.8" | 5.3" | 12 | 2 | 40° – 48° |
| June | 70° | 35° | 1.3" | 0.4" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 57° |
| July | 76° | 41° | 1.8" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| August | 73° | 39° | 1.8" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 53° – 59° |
| September | 66° | 32° | 1.5" | 0.4" | 12 | 0 | 45° – 53° |
| October | 54° | 24° | 1.3" | 7.4" | 10 | 5 | 33° – 44° |
| November | 40° | 14° | 1.1" | 22.5" | 11 | 22 | 19° – 35° |
| December | 31° | 6° | 1.1" | 28.5" | 14 | 30 | 13° – 24° |
| Year | 52° | 22° | 16.4" | 154.9" | 149 | 168 |
“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 Lake
Grand Lake gets 16 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and March the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 149 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 168 days of the year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Grand Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Grand Lake, 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 Grand Lake 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 Lake averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 65% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Grand Lake’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 19° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Grand Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Grand Lake?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Grand Lake?
July, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 41°.
How much snow does Grand Lake get?
About 155 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Grand Lake?
Frost is uncommon. Only 100% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Grand Lake?
May, with 1.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 16 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Grand Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Grand Lake 1 Nw, CO (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.