Palmer Lake, CO climate
Palmer Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 121 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Palmer Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Palmer 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 14° | 0.9" | 14.4" | 7 | 22° – 35° |
| February | 44° | 15° | 0.9" | 10.9" | 6 | 24° – 36° |
| March | 51° | 22° | 2.0" | 24.2" | 9 | 32° – 42° |
| April | 57° | 28° | 2.8" | 23.7" | 9 | 37° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 36° | 2.5" | 3.3" | 9 | 45° – 55° |
| June | 77° | 46° | 2.0" | 0 | 11 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 82° | 52° | 3.1" | 0 | 12 | 63° – 70° |
| August | 79° | 50° | 2.7" | 0 | 14 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 73° | 42° | 1.8" | 1.7" | 7 | 52° – 62° |
| October | 61° | 31° | 1.3" | 11.1" | 5 | 39° – 51° |
| November | 51° | 21° | 1.1" | 18.4" | 8 | 28° – 42° |
| December | 43° | 14° | 1.0" | 13.4" | 7 | 22° – 32° |
| Year | 61° | 31° | 22.0" | 121.1" | 106 |
“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 Palmer Lake
Palmer Lake gets 22 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 106 days a year.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 14 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 138 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 90% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Palmer Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Palmer Lake, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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.
Palmer Lake and its neighbors
Palmer Lake borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Monument has both the coldest January nights (14°) and the hottest July afternoons (83°). Palmer Lake’s January low is 14° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Palmer 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 Palmer Lake averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.0°). The shift is smaller than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Palmer 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 28° to 42°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Palmer Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Palmer Lake?
December, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Palmer Lake?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 52°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Palmer Lake get?
About 121 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Palmer Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 14.
What is the rainiest month in Palmer Lake?
July, with 3.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 22 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Palmer Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Monument, CO (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.