Ouray County, CO Climate


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United States / Colorado / No Metro Area / Ouray County / Cities / Zip Codes
Ouray County is located in the southwestern portion of Colorado, with its elevations ranging from 7,800 to 14,000 feet. The county experiences a diverse climate year-round, ranging from hot and dry summers to cold and snowy winters. The highest peaks may experience snowfall year-round while the lower valleys can reach temperatures as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months. Due to its altitude and location in the San Juan Mountains, Ouray County tends to experience significant temperature swings throughout the day with nighttime temperatures often dropping into the 20s during winter months. Precipitation is moderate throughout the year with typical mountain thunderstorms occurring during the late spring and late summer months. Overall, Ouray County enjoys four distinct seasons that each offer unique beauty and activities for residents and visitors alike.

Ouray County, Colorado gets 20 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Ouray County averages 104 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 244 sunny days per year in Ouray County. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Ouray County gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 96 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 80 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 10
Rain: averages 20 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 104 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Ouray County is 6.5 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in Colorado.

8.8 Summer - 4.4 Winter
July, June and August are the most pleasant months in Ouray County, while December and January are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateOuray, ColoradoUnited States
    Unlock38.1 in.
  104.1 in.  Unlock
    Unlock106.2 days
  244 days  Unlock
  80.3°85.8°
    Unlock21.7°
  6.5  Unlock
    Unlock4.3
  9002 ft.  Unlock
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Ouray County with an average high temperature of 80.3°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Colorado. In Ouray County, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Ouray County are August, June and July.
In Ouray County, there are 1.7 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Colorado.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Ouray County with an average of 9.5°. This is colder than most places in Colorado.
In Ouray County, there are 207.1 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most places in Colorado.
In Ouray County, there are 16.9 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is colder than most places in Colorado.
Humidity is very low in Ouray County, so low that the dry air may be uncomfortable for some people. There are few days during the year when the humidity is even noticable. A very dry climate can lead to cracked, itchy skin and dry eyes.
August is the wettest month in Ouray County with 2.3 inches of rain, and the driest month is June with 1.1 inches. The wettest season is Winter with 28% of yearly precipitation and 19% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 20.2 inches in Ouray County means that it is wetter than most places in Colorado.
August is the rainiest month in Ouray County with 12.3 days of rain, and June is the driest month with only 5.2 rainy days. There are 96.2 rainy days annually in Ouray County, which is rainier than most places in Colorado. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 28% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 22% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 104.1 inches in Ouray County means that it is snowier than most places in Colorado. March is the snowiest month in Ouray County with 20.2 inches of snow, and 8 months of the year have significant snowfall.
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