Hotchkiss, CO climate
Hotchkiss has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Hotchkiss feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Hotchkiss 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 | 40° | 16° | 0.9" | 11.4" | 7 | 20° – 35° |
| February | 46° | 22° | 0.8" | 7.2" | 8 | 28° – 41° |
| March | 57° | 29° | 0.9" | 4.8" | 7 | 38° – 48° |
| April | 64° | 35° | 0.9" | 1.7" | 8 | 45° – 55° |
| May | 75° | 43° | 1.0" | 0.1" | 8 | 53° – 63° |
| June | 87° | 51° | 0.5" | 0 | 5 | 63° – 73° |
| July | 92° | 57° | 1.0" | 0 | 7 | 70° – 79° |
| August | 89° | 55° | 1.1" | 0 | 8 | 69° – 77° |
| September | 80° | 47° | 1.4" | 0.1" | 8 | 58° – 68° |
| October | 67° | 36° | 1.2" | 0.8" | 7 | 45° – 57° |
| November | 52° | 26° | 0.8" | 5.2" | 7 | 32° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 17° | 1.0" | 10.1" | 8 | 23° – 35° |
| Year | 66° | 36° | 11.5" | 41.4" | 86 |
“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 Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 86 days a year.
About 159 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 159 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Hotchkiss
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Hotchkiss, 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.
How Hotchkiss 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 Hotchkiss averaged 2.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Hotchkiss’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 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Hotchkiss’s climate
What is the coldest month in Hotchkiss?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Hotchkiss?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 57°. About 45 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Hotchkiss get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Hotchkiss?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by May 3.
What is the rainiest month in Hotchkiss?
September, with 1.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Hotchkiss itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Paonia 1sw, CO (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.