Leadville, CO climate
Leadville has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 73°, a January night drops to 5°, and about 154 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Leadville feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Leadville 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 | 32° | 5° | 0.9" | 20.7" | 12 | 12° – 24° |
| February | 34° | 6° | 0.9" | 19.9" | 15 | 15° – 25° |
| March | 41° | 12° | 1.0" | 21.8" | 13 | 21° – 32° |
| April | 47° | 20° | 1.3" | 24.9" | 12 | 29° – 39° |
| May | 57° | 28° | 1.2" | 12.3" | 10 | 37° – 47° |
| June | 68° | 35° | 0.9" | 0.5" | 7 | 48° – 56° |
| July | 73° | 40° | 1.8" | 0 | 14 | 53° – 60° |
| August | 70° | 39° | 1.9" | 0 | 13 | 52° – 58° |
| September | 64° | 32° | 1.2" | 2.8" | 8 | 43° – 52° |
| October | 52° | 24° | 1.0" | 10.9" | 8 | 32° – 43° |
| November | 40° | 14° | 0.8" | 16.5" | 9 | 20° – 34° |
| December | 32° | 6° | 0.8" | 23.6" | 12 | 12° – 24° |
| Year | 51° | 22° | 13.7" | 153.9" | 130 |
“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 Leadville
Leadville gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and December the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 130 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Leadville
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Leadville, 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 Leadville 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 Leadville averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Leadville’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 20° to 34°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Leadville’s climate
What is the coldest month in Leadville?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 5°.
What is the hottest month in Leadville?
July, with a typical high of 73° and a low of 40°.
How much snow does Leadville get?
About 154 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Leadville?
Frost is uncommon. Only 100% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Leadville?
August, with 1.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Leadville itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Leadville 1.4 Wnw, CO (1 mi, snow) and Leadville Lake Co Airport, CO (2 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.