Colorado Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, and Lakewood
Summary
Colorado endured extraordinary summer heat as persistent atmospheric pressure locked in extreme temperatures, pushing the state through its 2nd warmest July in 77 years of records. High temperatures averaged 30.94°C, triggering intense heatwaves that exacerbated severe dry conditions across high-elevation landscapes. All of Colorado's 3 wildfires this year have happened in the past month, tracked live on our map at Extreme Weather tracker. Monsoon moisture is expected to offer brief relief in the coming weeks.
This month in numbers
The latest month delivered an average temperature of 22.17°C, standing 2.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline to mark the 2nd warmest July on record behind only 2003. Daytime maximums were equally notable, averaging 30.94°C for a 3°C anomaly that also ranked 2nd overall. Over the three-month period from May to July, average temperatures reached 17.58°C (+1.9°C anomaly), placing the season 4th overall, while maximum temperatures averaged 26.13°C to rank 5th warmest.
What changed
The state's sustained warm streak mirrors broader global patterns, with global land temperatures recording their 3rd warmest July and 2nd warmest May–July season on record. Over the past 12 months, Colorado registered a rolling temperature anomaly of +3.03°C, placing it 6th highest among 232 countries and territories tracked globally. That puts Colorado in a striking cluster where 7 of the top 10 highest 12-month anomalies worldwide belong to American states. Within the US Southwest climate region, Colorado ran 0.16°C above its regional group average this month.
What’s driving change?
Mountain terrain makes the region particularly vulnerable to , where thinning snowpack and drier atmospheric conditions accelerate temperature increases compared to lowland areas. Extended dry spells have further triggered , as parched soils lose their ability to cool the lower atmosphere through evaporation. Mid-summer trapped warm air over the Intermountain West, leaving vegetation prone to rapid ignition.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts indicate that above-average temperatures are likely to persist across the region over the next 1–3 months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USUnited States
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp), plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Colorado
Köppen Dfb · ContinentalColorado has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 20.8°C, while January is the coldest at -3.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 432mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Colorado
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Heatwave Days – Colorado
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Colorado
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – Colorado
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Records – Colorado
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Colorado. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (7.0°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 24.3°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Mar (+2.2°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Colorado
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Statewide monthly temperature and precipitation (nClimDiv).
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Colorado changing?
Colorado is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Colorado?
Colorado has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb: Humid continental - warm summer), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 20.8°C, while January is the coldest at -3.6°C. Annual precipitation averages around 432mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Colorado come from?
Climate data for Colorado comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Colorado climate data cover?
The Colorado climate profile covers Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins and surrounding areas. Colorado climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Colorado climate update refreshed?
The Colorado climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Colorado climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Colorado climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.