Denver > Weather

DENVER'S CLIMATE:
Nothing about Denver is more misunderstood than the city's climate.  Located just east of a high mountain barrier and a long distance from any moisture source, Denver has a mild, dry and arid climate.  The city receives only 8-15 inches (20.3 - 38 cm) of precipitation a year (about the same as Los Angeles), and records 300 days of sunshine a year -- more annual hours of sun than San Diego or Miami Beach.

Winters are mild with an average daily high of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, 7 degrees Celsius in February, warmer than New York, Boston, Chicago or St. Louis.  Snow does fall, but it usually melts in a short time.  Golf courses remain open all year and have been played on as many as 30 days in January.  Chinook winds (a wind blowing down from a mountain that gains heat as it loses elevation) can bring 60 degree F (16 degrees C) weather to Denver at any time throughout the winter.

In summer, dry relative humidity makes Denver feel cool and comfortable, offering natural air conditioning.  Fall is a particularly delightful time to visit the city and make day excursions to the mountains to view the colorful changing of the aspens, an event that takes place from mid-September until mid-October.