Orchard Mesa, CO climate
Orchard Mesa has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Orchard Mesa feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Orchard Mesa 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° | 0.5" | 3.4" | 5 | 10 | 20° – 38° |
| February | 48° | 24° | 0.5" | 2.1" | 6 | 3 | 31° – 43° |
| March | 59° | 32° | 0.7" | 1.1" | 6 | 1 | 41° – 51° |
| April | 67° | 38° | 0.9" | 0.6" | 7 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| May | 77° | 47° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| June | 89° | 56° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| July | 94° | 62° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 74° – 83° |
| August | 91° | 60° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 72° – 81° |
| September | 82° | 51° | 1.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| October | 68° | 38° | 1.0" | 0.2" | 6 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 53° | 28° | 0.6" | 1.7" | 4 | 2 | 33° – 47° |
| December | 41° | 19° | 0.5" | 3.5" | 4 | 7 | 22° – 36° |
| Year | 67° | 39° | 8.6" | 12.6" | 63 | 22 |
“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 Orchard Mesa
Orchard Mesa 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 63 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 22 days of the year.
About 179 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first one by October 20. That leaves about 179 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Orchard Mesa
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Orchard Mesa, 80% of that work is heating and 20% 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.
Orchard Mesa and its neighbors
Orchard Mesa borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.0°. Grand Junction has both the coldest January nights (18°) and the hottest July afternoons (95°). Orchard Mesa’s January low is 18° and its July high 94°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Orchard Mesa 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 Orchard Mesa averaged 2.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.2°). The shift is larger than in 100% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Orchard Mesa’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 Orchard Mesa’s climate
What is the coldest month in Orchard Mesa?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Orchard Mesa?
July, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 62°. About 67 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Orchard Mesa get?
About 13 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Orchard Mesa?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Orchard Mesa?
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 Orchard Mesa itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Grand Junction 6ese, CO (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.