Mountain Meadows gets about 184 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 30 U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 80°. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 91% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.2°, most of all in March. Keep the boiler serviced for the months from October to April, which average under 50°.
A year in Mountain Meadows at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Mountain Meadows’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Mountain Meadows’ place in Colorado beside it.
What a year in Mountain Meadows feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 109 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 30 and the first by September 17. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Estes Park 3 Sse, CO, 23 miles from the town’s center, 390 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Mountain Meadows’ center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −11°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 184 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Ward 4.6 Ne, CO, falls mostly in April. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 19 inches a year; May is the wettest month and December the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 140 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Mountain Meadows
99% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Estes Park 3 Sse, CO.
Living with Mountain Meadows’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
109 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 30 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 17.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 4.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Mountain Meadows from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (47%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Mountain Meadows and its neighbors
Crisman the hottest July afternoons (82°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Mountain Meadows’, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Meadows, CO | 19° | 80° | 19" | 184" |
| South Lake Tahoe, CA | 22° | 81° | 19" | 179" |
| Park City, UT | 18° | 81° | 23" | 153" |
| Lewistown, MT | 12° | 82° | 18" | 112" |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 16° | 84° | 18" | 90" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Mountain Meadows averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.0°).
A smaller shift than in 64% 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 Mountain Meadows compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Mountain Meadows’ place among Colorado’s.
Mountain Meadows weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Mountain Meadows’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Ward 4.6 Ne, CO. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 19° | 0.6" | 15.8" | 9 | 31 | 25° – 36° |
| February | 41° | 19° | 0.8" | 28.0" | 12 | 29 | 26° – 37° |
| March | 48° | 24° | 1.5" | 29.9" | 12 | 29 | 31° – 43° |
| April | 54° | 29° | 2.4" | 34.9" | 13 | 19 | 36° – 47° |
| May | 63° | 37° | 2.7" | 17.9" | 16 | 6 | 45° – 54° |
| June | 74° | 46° | 1.9" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| July | 80° | 52° | 2.3" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| August | 78° | 51° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| September | 71° | 44° | 1.6" | 0.7" | 10 | 1 | 52° – 61° |
| October | 59° | 34° | 1.2" | 18.1" | 10 | 8 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 48° | 26° | 0.9" | 13.5" | 8 | 19 | 28° – 44° |
| December | 41° | 19° | 0.5" | 24.6" | 11 | 29 | 23° – 34° |
| Year | 58° | 33° | 18.5" | 183.5" | 140 | 169 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 28° to 44°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Mountain Meadows’ 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 Mountain Meadows’ center.
- Snow: Ward 4.6 Ne, CO.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Estes Park 3 Sse, CO, 23 miles from the town’s center, 390 ft higher; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- 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 Mountain Meadows’ climate
What is the weather like in Mountain Meadows?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 184 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 65% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 91% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Mountain Meadows in winter?
December nights average 19°. About 184 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 23°.
How much snow does Mountain Meadows get?
About 184 inches in a normal winter at Ward 4.6 Ne, CO, most of it in April, with snow on the ground about 169 days a year.
How hot does it get in Mountain Meadows?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 52°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Estes Park 3 Sse, CO).
When is the first and last frost in Mountain Meadows?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 30 and the first fall frost by September 17, about 109 frost-free days, at Estes Park 3 Sse, CO.
What growing zone is Mountain Meadows in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −11°.
What is the best time of year to visit Mountain Meadows?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Mountain Meadows getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 64% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Mountain Meadows.
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.