Gunnison, CO climate
Gunnison has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 0°, and about 50 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Gunnison feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Gunnison 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 | 30° | 0° | 0.9" | 12.4" | 7 | 5° – 23° |
| February | 35° | 6° | 0.9" | 10.5" | 7 | 14° – 29° |
| March | 46° | 17° | 0.8" | 6.1" | 4 | 24° – 37° |
| April | 56° | 25° | 0.8" | 2.9" | 5 | 36° – 45° |
| May | 67° | 33° | 0.9" | 0.4" | 5 | 46° – 53° |
| June | 77° | 39° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 54° – 62° |
| July | 82° | 46° | 1.3" | 0 | 7 | 60° – 67° |
| August | 79° | 45° | 1.5" | 0 | 9 | 60° – 65° |
| September | 72° | 37° | 1.3" | 0 | 7 | 50° – 58° |
| October | 61° | 26° | 1.0" | 1.1" | 5 | 38° – 48° |
| November | 45° | 15° | 0.8" | 4.3" | 5 | 23° – 37° |
| December | 32° | 3° | 1.0" | 11.9" | 7 | 11° – 27° |
| Year | 57° | 24° | 11.7" | 49.6" | 72 |
“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 Gunnison
Gunnison gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 72 days a year.
About 96 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 9 and the first one by September 16. That leaves about 96 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Gunnison
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Gunnison, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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 Gunnison 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 Gunnison averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 76% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Gunnison’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 5° to 23°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Gunnison’s climate
What is the coldest month in Gunnison?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 0°.
What is the hottest month in Gunnison?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 46°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Gunnison get?
About 50 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Gunnison?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 16, and the last spring frost by June 9.
What is the rainiest month in Gunnison?
August, with 1.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Gunnison itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Blue Mesa Lake, CO (14 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.