Geography of Colorado
The geography of the
The summit of Mount Elbert at 14,440 feet (4,401.2 m) elevation in Lake County is the state's highest point and the highest point in the Rocky Mountains of North America.[7] Colorado has approximately 550 mountain peaks that exceed 10,000 feet (4,000 metres) elevation. Colorado is the only U.S. state that lies entirely above 3,000 feet (1,000 metres) elevation. The state's lowest elevation is 3,317 feet (1,011 m) at the point on the eastern boundary of Yuma County where the Arikaree River flows into the state of Kansas.[8]
As is common in mountainous and adjacent areas, microclimates exist and weather is strongly influenced by orography. A notable regional atmospheric phenomenon is the Denver Convergence Vorticity Zone (DCVZ) and related Denver Cyclone occurring on the High Plains just east of Denver. The Rocky Mountains as a whole induce significant changes in weather afar, such as the Colorado low.
Regions
To the east of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado are the
The plains are sparsely settled with most population along the
The bulk of Colorado's population lives along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in the
To the west lies the eastern slope of the
The
Within the interior of the Rocky Mountains are several large parks or high broad basins. In the north, on the east side of the Continental Divide is
The Rocky Mountains within Colorado contain 54 peaks that are 14,000 ft (4,300 m) or higher, known as fourteeners.[9] The mountains are timbered with conifers and aspen to the tree line, at an elevation of about 12,000 ft (3,700 m) in southern Colorado to about 10,500 ft (3,200 m) in northern Colorado; above this only alpine vegetation grows. The Rockies are snow-covered only in the winter; most snow melts by mid-August with the exception of a few small glaciers. The Colorado Mineral Belt, stretching from the San Juan Mountains in the southwest to Boulder and Central City on the front range, contains most of the historic gold and silver mining districts of Colorado.
The Western Slope is generally drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries. Notable to the south are the San Juan Mountains, an extremely rugged mountain range, and to the west of the San Juans, the Colorado Plateau, a high desert extending into neighboring states. Grand Junction is the largest city on the Western Slope. Grand Junction is served by Interstate Highway 70. To the southeast of Grand Junction is Grand Mesa, a large flat-topped desert mountain. Further east are the ski resort communities of Aspen, Vail, Crested Butte, and Steamboat Springs. The northwestern corner of Colorado bordering Northern Utah and Western Wyoming is mostly sparsely populated rangeland.
From west to east, the state consists of desert basins, desert canyons and mesas, turning into desert plateaus, then alpine mountains, and then the grasslands of the High Plains. Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains of North America. The famous Pikes Peak is just west of Colorado Springs. Its lone peak is visible from near the Kansas border on clear days.
Climate statistics for selected cities
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
80 (27) |
84 (29) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
105 (41) |
105 (41) |
105 (41) |
101 (38) |
90 (32) |
81 (27) |
79 (26) |
105 (41) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 65.0 (18.3) |
67.1 (19.5) |
74.7 (23.7) |
80.8 (27.1) |
88.3 (31.3) |
96.5 (35.8) |
99.6 (37.6) |
96.9 (36.1) |
92.9 (33.8) |
84.1 (28.9) |
73.6 (23.1) |
65.3 (18.5) |
100.6 (38.1) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.6 (7.0) |
45.7 (7.6) |
55.7 (13.2) |
61.7 (16.5) |
71.2 (21.8) |
83.4 (28.6) |
89.9 (32.2) |
87.5 (30.8) |
79.6 (26.4) |
65.3 (18.5) |
52.9 (11.6) |
44.0 (6.7) |
65.1 (18.4) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.7 (−0.2) |
32.7 (0.4) |
41.6 (5.3) |
47.8 (8.8) |
57.4 (14.1) |
68.2 (20.1) |
75.1 (23.9) |
72.9 (22.7) |
64.8 (18.2) |
51.1 (10.6) |
39.4 (4.1) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
51.2 (10.6) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.7 (−7.4) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
33.9 (1.1) |
43.6 (6.4) |
53.0 (11.7) |
60.2 (15.7) |
58.3 (14.6) |
50.0 (10.0) |
37.0 (2.8) |
26.0 (−3.3) |
18.4 (−7.6) |
37.2 (2.9) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −3.8 (−19.9) |
−1.5 (−18.6) |
9.5 (−12.5) |
19.8 (−6.8) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
41.9 (5.5) |
51.4 (10.8) |
48.8 (9.3) |
35.9 (2.2) |
19.6 (−6.9) |
5.4 (−14.8) |
−3.4 (−19.7) |
−11 (−24) |
Record low °F (°C) | −29 (−34) |
−25 (−32) |
−11 (−24) |
−2 (−19) |
19 (−7) |
30 (−1) |
42 (6) |
40 (4) |
17 (−8) |
−2 (−19) |
−18 (−28) |
−25 (−32) |
−29 (−34) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.38 (9.7) |
0.41 (10) |
0.86 (22) |
1.68 (43) |
2.16 (55) |
1.94 (49) |
2.14 (54) |
1.58 (40) |
1.35 (34) |
0.99 (25) |
0.64 (16) |
0.35 (8.9) |
14.48 (368) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.4 (16) |
7.6 (19) |
8.8 (22) |
6.2 (16) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (2.0) |
3.9 (9.9) |
7.3 (19) |
6.6 (17) |
49.0 (124) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 4.4 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 9.0 | 10.4 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 79.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.0 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 31.4 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
55.2 | 55.8 | 53.7 | 49.6 | 51.7 | 49.3 | 47.8 | 49.3 | 50.1 | 49.2 | 56.3 | 56.6 | 52.0 |
Average dew point °F (°C) | 12.7 (−10.7) |
16.2 (−8.8) |
19.9 (−6.7) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
35.8 (2.1) |
43.5 (6.4) |
48.4 (9.1) |
47.7 (8.7) |
39.6 (4.2) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
14.2 (−9.9) |
29.5 (−1.4) |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 215.3 | 211.1 | 255.6 | 276.2 | 290.0 | 315.3 | 325.0 | 306.4 | 272.3 | 249.2 | 194.3 | 195.9 | 3,106.6 |
Mean daily daylight hours | 9.7 | 10.7 | 12 | 13.3 | 14.4 | 15 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10 | 9.4 | 12.2 |
Percent possible sunshine | 72 | 70 | 69 | 69 | 65 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 72 | 65 | 67 | 70 |
Average ultraviolet index | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Source 1: NOAA (sun, relative humidity and dew point 1961−1990)[10][11][12][13][14] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weather Atlas (Daylight-Average UV index)[15] |
Climate data for Grand Junction, Colorado (Grand Junction Regional Airport), 1991–2020 normals,[c] extremes 1893–present[d] | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
70 (21) |
81 (27) |
89 (32) |
101 (38) |
105 (41) |
107 (42) |
103 (39) |
100 (38) |
88 (31) |
76 (24) |
66 (19) |
107 (42) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 49.6 (9.8) |
60.0 (15.6) |
72.6 (22.6) |
81.3 (27.4) |
90.9 (32.7) |
99.4 (37.4) |
102.0 (38.9) |
98.6 (37.0) |
93.2 (34.0) |
82.1 (27.8) |
65.3 (18.5) |
51.9 (11.1) |
102.5 (39.2) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38.1 (3.4) |
46.4 (8.0) |
58.3 (14.6) |
65.8 (18.8) |
76.8 (24.9) |
89.2 (31.8) |
94.5 (34.7) |
90.9 (32.7) |
81.7 (27.6) |
66.9 (19.4) |
51.8 (11.0) |
38.8 (3.8) |
66.6 (19.2) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 27.7 (−2.4) |
35.3 (1.8) |
45.0 (7.2) |
51.9 (11.1) |
62.0 (16.7) |
73.0 (22.8) |
79.2 (26.2) |
76.3 (24.6) |
67.1 (19.5) |
53.2 (11.8) |
39.6 (4.2) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
53.2 (11.8) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 17.3 (−8.2) |
24.1 (−4.4) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
38.1 (3.4) |
47.1 (8.4) |
56.8 (13.8) |
63.9 (17.7) |
61.6 (16.4) |
52.5 (11.4) |
39.5 (4.2) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
18.0 (−7.8) |
39.8 (4.3) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 3.4 (−15.9) |
10.3 (−12.1) |
19.3 (−7.1) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
33.6 (0.9) |
44.3 (6.8) |
54.3 (12.4) |
53.5 (11.9) |
39.2 (4.0) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
13.8 (−10.1) |
2.8 (−16.2) |
−1.3 (−18.5) |
Record low °F (°C) | −23 (−31) |
−21 (−29) |
5 (−15) |
11 (−12) |
24 (−4) |
34 (1) |
44 (7) |
43 (6) |
28 (−2) |
6 (−14) |
−4 (−20) |
−21 (−29) |
−23 (−31) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.61 (15) |
0.53 (13) |
0.80 (20) |
0.98 (25) |
0.83 (21) |
0.41 (10) |
0.59 (15) |
0.92 (23) |
1.19 (30) |
0.99 (25) |
0.61 (15) |
0.60 (15) |
9.06 (230) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.5 (11) |
2.9 (7.4) |
1.8 (4.6) |
0.9 (2.3) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
1.9 (4.8) |
5.2 (13) |
17.7 (44.35) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.3 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 6.4 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 71.6 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 4.6 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 18.1 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
69.7 | 60.4 | 50.1 | 40.3 | 36.3 | 29.4 | 33.5 | 36.6 | 38.8 | 45.6 | 58.5 | 68.0 | 47.3 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 192.3 | 204.4 | 240.9 | 278.0 | 328.5 | 359.3 | 356.2 | 329.8 | 292.2 | 255.1 | 186.9 | 180.0 | 3,203.6 |
Percent possible sunshine | 63 | 68 | 65 | 70 | 74 | 81 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 74 | 62 | 61 | 72 |
Source: NOAA (sun 1961–1990)[16][17] |
See also
- Index of Colorado-related articles
- Colorado geographic regions
- List of cities and towns in Colorado
- List of Colorado fourteeners
- List of counties in Colorado
- List of drainage basins in Colorado
- List of mountain passes in Colorado
- List of mountain peaks of Colorado
- List of mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains
- List of mountain ranges of Colorado
- List of rivers of Colorado
- List of waterfalls of Colorado
Notes
- ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
- ^ The official weather records for Denver were recorded in Downtown Denver from January 1872 to December 1949, at Stapleton International Airport from January 1950 to February 1995, and at Denver International Airport since March 1995.
- ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010.
- ^ Official records for Grand Junction were kept at downtown from January 1893 to December 1899 and at Grand Junction Regional Airport since January 1900. For more information, see ThreadEx.
References
- Thirty-sixth United States Congress. February 28, 1861. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- ^ "U.S. Reports: New Mexico v. Colorado, 267 U.S. 30 (1925)". Library of Congress. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
- ^ "Colorado is NOT a perfect rectangle". Fascinating Maps. Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- ^ a b "Colorado is a rectangle? Think again". The Big Think, Inc. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- United States National Geodetic Survey. 2003-05-07.
- Congressoriginally designated.
- ^ "MOUNT ELBERT". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
- ^ State of Colorado. "Colorado State Archives Geography Page". Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration. State of Colorado. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
- ^ Blake, Kevin S. 2002. Colorado Fourteeners and the Nature of Place Identity. Geographical Review 92(2): 155-179.
- ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
- ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ "Station Name: CO DENVER-STAPLETON". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
- ^ "Threaded Climate Extremes for Denver Area, CO". National Weather Service. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
- ^ "WMO Climate Normals for DENVER/STAPLETON INT'L AP CO 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
- ^ "Denver, Colorado, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 1, 2022.