Climate Colorado

1 climate

1.1 eastern plains
1.2 front range foothills
1.3 extreme weather
1.4 records
1.5 earthquakes

climate

köppen climate types of colorado

the climate of colorado more complex states outside of mountain states region. unlike other states, southern colorado not warmer northern colorado. of colorado made of mountains, foothills, high plains, , desert lands. mountains , surrounding valleys affect local climate.

as general rule, increase in elevation comes decrease in temperature , increase in precipitation. northeast, east, , southeast colorado high plains, while northern colorado mix of high plains, foothills, , mountains. northwest , west colorado predominantly mountainous, desert lands mixed in. southwest , southern colorado complex mixture of desert , mountain areas.

eastern plains

the climate of eastern plains semiarid (köppen climate classification: bsk) low humidity , moderate precipitation, 15 25 inches (380 640 millimetres) annually. area known abundant sunshine , cool, clear nights, give area great average diurnal temperature range. difference between highs of days , lows of nights can considerable warmth dissipates space during clear nights, heat radiation not being trapped clouds.

the front range urban corridor, of population of colorado resides, lies in pronounced precipitation shadow result of being on lee side of rocky mountains.

in summer, area can have many days above 95 °f (35 °c) , 100 °f (38 °c). on plains, winter lows range 25 −10 °f (−4 −23 °c). 75% of precipitation falls within growing season, april september, area prone droughts. of precipitation comes thunderstorms, can severe, , major snowstorms occur in winter , spring. otherwise, winters tend dry , cold.

in of region, march snowiest month. april , may rainiest months, while april wettest month overall. front range cities closer mountains tend warmer in winter due chinook winds warm area, bringing temperatures of 70 °f (21 °c) or higher in winter. average july temperature 55 °f (13 °c) in morning , 90 °f (32 °c) in afternoon. average january temperature 18 °f (−8 °c) in morning , 48 °f (9 °c) in afternoon, although variation between consecutive days can 40 °f (20 °c).

front range foothills

just west of plains , foothills, there wide variety of climate types. locations merely few miles apart can experience entirely different weather depending on topography. valleys have semi-arid climate not unlike eastern plains, transitions alpine climate @ highest elevations. microclimates exist in local areas run entire spectrum of climates, including subtropical highland (cfb/cwb), humid subtropical (cfa), humid continental (dfa/dfb), mediterranean (csa/csb) , subarctic (dfc).

extreme weather

snow highlights rugged mountains, urban , agricultural landscapes of colorado plains.

extreme weather changes common in colorado, although majority of extreme weather occurs in least populated areas of state. thunderstorms common east of continental divide in spring , summer, yet brief. hail common sight in mountains east of divide , in northwest part of state. eastern plains have had of biggest hail storms in north america.

the eastern plains part of extreme western portion of tornado alley; damaging tornadoes in eastern plains include 1990 limon f3 tornado , 2008 windsor ef3 tornado, devastated small town. plains susceptible occasional floods, caused both thunderstorms , rapid melting of snow in mountains during warm weather. notable examples include big thompson river flooding of 1976 , 2013 colorado floods. denver s record in 1901 number of consecutive days above 90 °f (32 °c) broken during summer of 2008. new record of 24 consecutive days surpassed previous record week.

much of colorado dry state averaging 17 inches (430 millimetres) of precipitation per year statewide , experiences time when portion of state not in degree of drought. lack of precipitation contributes severity of wildfires in state, such hayman fire, 1 of largest wildfires in american history, , fourmile canyon fire of 2010, until waldo canyon fire , high park fire of june 2012, , black forest fire of june 2013, destructive wildfire in colorado s recorded history.

however, of mountainous regions of colorado receive huge amount of moisture winter snowfalls. spring melts of these snows cause great waterflows in yampa river, colorado river, rio grande, arkansas river, north platte river, , south platte river.

the yampa river, high overlook

water flowing out of colorado rocky mountains significant source of water farms, towns, , cities of southwest states of new mexico, arizona, utah, , nevada, midwest, such nebraska , kansas, , southern states of oklahoma , texas. significant amount of water diverted use in california; (formerly naturally , consistently), flow of water reaches northern mexico.

records

the highest ambient air temperature ever recorded in colorado 118 °f (48 °c) on july 11, 1888, @ bennett. lowest air temperature −61 °f (−52 °c) on february 1, 1985, @ maybell.

earthquakes

despite mountainous terrain, colorado relatively quiet seismically. u.s. national earthquake information center located in golden.

on august 22, 2011, 5.3 magnitude earthquake occurred 9 miles (14 km) west-southwest of city of trinidad. there no casualties , small amount of damage reported. second largest earthquake in colorado. magnitude 5.7 earthquake recorded in 1973.