Climate Insights for Ouray

The climate in Ouray is cold. The average annual temperature is 1°C and approximately 741mm of precipitation falls per year. Ouray receives a notable amount of rainfall throughout the year, including during its driest month. Ouray is in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer begins at the end of June and lasts through September. The summer months are: July, August, June. The coldest months are December, January, February, when temperatures can drop to -15°C. Ouray experiences heavy snowfall, typically from January through December.

Temperatures in Ouray vary considerably across the year, with a 35°C difference between the coldest and warmest months. July is the warmest month, though highs remain moderate at 20°C with a mean of 13°C. The coldest month is December, when overnight lows fall to -15°C and the daily average is -9°C. On average, daily temperatures fluctuate by about 13°C between overnight lows and afternoon highs. The sharpest temperature change occurs between October and November, with a 7°C shift in average temperatures.

Ouray is a relatively dry area, receiving approximately 741mm of precipitation annually, which averages out to around 62mm per month. The wettest month is July, averaging 115mm of rainfall. August and April also tend to see above-average precipitation. The driest month is June, with just 32mm. That's 83mm less than July, the wettest month. Precipitation varies noticeably between seasons, with the second half (July to December) of the year generally seeing more rainfall. Ouray receives heavy snowfall, accumulating around 406cm annually from January through December. The snowiest month is March, with approximately 64cm. Winter travel should account for significant snow cover.

Ouray is relatively calm, with an average annual wind speed of 2km/h. For context, sustained winds below 12km/h are generally light, while anything above 25km/h is considered strong. The windiest month is March, averaging 2km/h, though still comfortable for most outdoor activities. The calmest conditions occur in July, with average winds dropping to 2km/h, making it an ideal period for wind-sensitive activities. There is moderate seasonal variation in wind speed, with a 0km/h gap between the calmest and windiest months.

It is currently summer in Ouray, which began on June 21, 2026. Ouray is in the Northern Hemisphere, where spring begins in March, summer in June, autumn in September, and winter in December. The warmest period peaks in July at around 20°C, while the coldest stretch bottoms out in December near -15°C. Autumn is next, beginning on September 23, 2026 — 78 days from now.

The table below shows monthly climate averages for Ouray based on historical weather data. Min and max temperatures represent typical overnight lows and afternoon highs for each month, shown in degrees Celsius (°C). Precipitation is measured in millimetres (mm) and indicates the average total rainfall per month. Snow is measured in centimetres (cm) and reflects average monthly snowfall accumulation. Wind speed is the average sustained speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). All values are based on averages from over 10 years of historical weather data. The current month is highlighted for quick reference.