Ridgway, CO climate
Ridgway has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 81 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ridgway feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ridgway 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 | 39° | 8° | 0.9" | 13.6" | 6 | 25 | 17° – 30° |
| February | 43° | 13° | 0.9" | 12.6" | 6 | 18 | 22° – 35° |
| March | 52° | 21° | 1.3" | 13.6" | 6 | 9 | 31° – 41° |
| April | 59° | 28° | 1.3" | 7.3" | 8 | 3 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 69° | 35° | 1.4" | 1.4" | 8 | 1 | 47° – 57° |
| June | 81° | 41° | 0.8" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| July | 85° | 48° | 1.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| August | 82° | 47° | 1.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| September | 75° | 39° | 1.6" | 0.3" | 8 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| October | 63° | 28° | 1.3" | 4.4" | 6 | 2 | 41° – 51° |
| November | 50° | 18° | 1.2" | 11.4" | 6 | 9 | 26° – 41° |
| December | 39° | 9° | 1.1" | 16.4" | 7 | 23 | 19° – 31° |
| Year | 61° | 28° | 15.5" | 81.0" | 86 | 89 |
“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 Ridgway
Ridgway gets 15 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 86 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 89 days of the year.
About 92 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 11 and the first one by September 13. That leaves about 92 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 99% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ridgway
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ridgway, 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 Ridgway 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 Ridgway averaged 2.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 100% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ridgway’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 26° to 41°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Ridgway’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ridgway?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Ridgway?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 48°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ridgway get?
About 81 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Ridgway?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 13, and the last spring frost by June 11.
What is the rainiest month in Ridgway?
August, with 1.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 15 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ridgway itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ridgway, CO (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.