Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Garfield sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat
In January the night’s low is typically 7°. Winter nights are cold: in January they are colder than in 97% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.2°, most of all in March. The outdoor season, with highs of 68–71°, runs through July and August.
A year in Garfield at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Garfield’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Garfield’s place in Colorado beside it.
What a year in Garfield feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 16 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Garfield’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 5b.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: July and August.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Garfield from natural hazards, avalanches are the largest share (63%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Garfield and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Garfield yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Garfield averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Garfield compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Garfield’s place among Colorado’s.
Garfield weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Garfield’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 7° | 0.9" | 12° – 23° |
| February | 32° | 8° | 1.0" | 15° – 26° |
| March | 40° | 14° | 1.4" | 22° – 32° |
| April | 46° | 21° | 1.7" | 29° – 38° |
| May | 55° | 30° | 1.3" | 37° – 46° |
| June | 67° | 38° | 0.8" | 47° – 57° |
| July | 71° | 43° | 1.8" | 53° – 60° |
| August | 68° | 42° | 2.1" | 53° – 58° |
| September | 62° | 36° | 1.3" | 44° – 53° |
| October | 51° | 26° | 1.2" | 33° – 43° |
| November | 38° | 15° | 0.9" | 20° – 34° |
| December | 29° | 7° | 1.0" | 13° – 24° |
| Year | 49° | 24° | 15.6" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 20° to 34°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Garfield’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Garfield’s center.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Garfield’s climate
What is the weather like in Garfield?
A typical July afternoon reaches 71°, a January night drops to 7°. Colder January nights than 97% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 89 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Garfield in winter?
January nights average 7°. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 12°.
How hot does it get in Garfield?
July, with a typical high of 71°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Garfield in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −10°.
What is the best time of year to visit Garfield?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), July and August. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Garfield getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 65% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Garfield.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.