Telluride, CO weather in December
December in Telluride: cold and snowy. Highs 36°F, lows 2°F, about 9 wet days and about 19.3 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Telluride. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 36°F
- Normal low
- 2°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 19.3 in
- snow on the ground 28 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 39°F | 35°F |
| Normal low | 6°F | -1°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:08 am / 4:52 pm | 7:26 am / 5:01 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more28 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.4 in; a dry December brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 1.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 19.3 in, with about 6 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 44°F
- Coolest December2007: average high 31°F
- Wettest December2007: 2.8 in
- Driest December2017: 0.2 in
- Highest reading60°F (December 3, 1999)
- Lowest reading-31°F (December 8, 2005)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 45°F | 36°F | 36°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 2°F | 0°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 9.6 h | 9.9 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Moab, UT104 mi · high 44°F · 6 wet days
- Drier: Moab, UT104 mi · high 44°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Vail, CO141 mi · high 28°F · 11 wet days
How Telluride ranks in December
- Normal high325th warmest of 378 cities; 13th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days170th driest of 378
What to pack for Telluride in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 2°F, highs near 36°F
- Layers – afternoons near 36°F but nights near 2°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 28 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1426 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Telluride in December?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low is 2°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -31°F (December 8, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Telluride in December?
About 9 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2007 (2.8 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Telluride in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 19.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 28 days.
Is December a good time to visit Telluride?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Telluride (30 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Telluride 4WNW (USC00058204), 3.4 mi WNW of the city center, 8,646 ft (143 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Ouray (USC00056203), 9.7 mi NE of the city center, 7,840 ft (949 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour, cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).