All Countries
Weather & Climate in Lake City, CO
Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.
Lake City has a cool climate with an average annual temperature of 40°F (5°C). Winters average 17°F in January while summers reach 62°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year, well above the U.S. average of 205 / making it one of the sunnier locations in the country. Annual precipitation totals 14.3 inches (drier than the 38-inch national average). Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 41. The city sits at an elevation of 8,863 feet.
Temperature
17°F Jan (-8°C)
62°F Jul (17°C)
| Annual Average | 40.3°F |
| 25% below US avg | |
| January Average | 17°F (-8°C) |
| July Average | 62°F (17°C) |
| Sunny Days | 330 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 8,863 ft (2,701 m) |
| Area | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km²) |
| Population Density | 571/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 38.0216°N, 107.3107°W |
| Timezone | America/Denver |
| County | Ouray County County |
| Nearest Airport | Telluride Regional (TEX) 33 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 41.0 |
| Rating | Good |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Very Low |
| Risk Score | 17.7 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 10.6 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 47.5 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Very Low |
| Earthquake | Very Low |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low |
| Flood | Very Low |
| Hail | Very Low |
| Strong Wind | Very Low |
| Heat Wave | Very Low |
| Winter Weather | Very Low |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate |
| Ice Storm | Very Low |
| Drought | Very Low |
| Cold Wave | Very Low |
| Landslide | Relatively High |
| Avalanche | Relatively High |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Earthquake History
43 earthquakes (M2.5+) recorded within 150 km since 1990. Strongest on record: M4.5.
| Mar 4, 2019 | 29 km E of La Sal, Utah | M4.5 | 143 km | 1 km |
| Sep 13, 1994 | 17 km N of Sawpit, Colorado | M4.4 | 60 km | 10 km |
| May 27, 2000 | 29 km WNW of Naturita, Colorado | M4.4 | 141 km | 10 km |
| Jul 6, 1999 | 27 km WNW of Naturita, Colorado | M3.7 | 140 km | 2 km |
| Jun 3, 1999 | 28 km E of La Sal, Utah | M3.7 | 144 km | 1 km |
| Mar 10, 2023 | 16 km S of Ophir, Colorado | M3.6 | 58 km | 7 km |
| May 10, 1991 | 24 km SSE of South Fork, Colorado | M3.4 | 90 km | 5 km |
| Apr 3, 2025 | 34 km W of Delta, Colorado | M3.2 | 126 km | 5 km |
| Jul 8, 1993 | 9 km ENE of Aspen, Colorado | M3.1 | 144 km | 5 km |
| Mar 15, 2000 | Colorado | M3.1 | 144 km | -1 km |
| Jun 6, 2002 | 29 km E of La Sal, Utah | M3.0 | 145 km | -1 km |
| Apr 10, 1998 | 23 km WNW of Naturita, Colorado | M3.0 | 135 km | 5 km |
| Feb 4, 1999 | 28 km E of La Sal, Utah | M3.0 | 144 km | 0 km |
| Nov 17, 2009 | 30 km WNW of Nucla, Colorado | M2.9 | 142 km | 7 km |
| Jun 18, 2002 | 39 km SW of Creede, Colorado | M2.9 | 48 km | 5 km |
| Dec 5, 2000 | 10 km NNW of Redstone, Colorado | M2.9 | 139 km | 5 km |
| Jan 1, 2003 | 6 km SE of Aspen, Colorado | M2.9 | 135 km | 5 km |
| May 2, 2013 | 2 km E of Loghill Village, Colorado | M2.9 | 43 km | 4 km |
| Aug 7, 2005 | 29 km E of La Sal, Utah | M2.9 | 143 km | 1 km |
| Jan 20, 2017 | 4 km NW of Redstone, Colorado | M2.8 | 132 km | 5 km |
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990–2025). Sorted by magnitude.
Tornado History
9 tornadoes (EF0+) recorded within 100 km since 1950. Strongest on record: EF2. Total: 1 injury.
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Fatalities |
| Oct 10, 1997 | EF2 | 51 km | 3.0 mi | 0 |
| May 6, 2005 | EF1 | 89 km | 0.3 mi | 0 |
| May 13, 2004 | EF1 | 73 km | 0.7 mi | 0 |
| Jun 7, 1997 | EF1 | 72 km | 0.5 mi | 0 |
| Jun 16, 1991 | EF1 | 100 km | 6.5 mi | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1980 | EF1 | 83 km | 19.9 mi | 0 |
| Sep 25, 2012 | EF0 | 93 km | 1.4 mi | 0 |
| Apr 25, 1999 | EF0 | 89 km | 0.3 mi | 0 |
| Jul 31, 1994 | EF0 | 99 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (EF0+, 1950–2024, US only).
Wildfire History
20 wildfires (100+ acres) recorded within 100 km. Largest: MISSIONARY RIDGE (68,919 acres, 2002).
| Year | Name | Acres Burned | Distance |
| 2002 | MISSIONARY RIDGE | 68,919 | 71 km |
| 2018 | 416 | 55,123 | 79 km |
| 2013 | PAPOOSE | 46,991 | 40 km |
| 2013 | WEST FORK COMPLEX - EAST ZONE | 34,441 | 60 km |
| 2002 | BURN CANYON | 30,573 | 99 km |
| 2012 | LITTLE SAND | 26,240 | 66 km |
| 2013 | WEST FORK COMPLEX | 18,775 | 65 km |
| 2002 | MILLION | 7,923 | 75 km |
| 2017 | EIGHT FOUR TWO | 5,954 | 91 km |
| 2018 | BURRO | 5,242 | 89 km |
| 1994 | WAKE | 3,834 | 99 km |
| 1990 | HORESEFLY | 3,760 | 84 km |
| 2012 | VALLECITO | 2,764 | 71 km |
| 2023 | QUARTZ RIDGE | 2,584 | 88 km |
| 2010 | BEAVER | 2,496 | 77 km |
| 2003 | BOLT | 2,392 | 99 km |
| 2002 | UNNAMED | 1,898 | 91 km |
| 2003 | BEAR CREEK WFU | 1,866 | 60 km |
| 2023 | LOWLINE | 1,855 | 80 km |
| 1996 | UNNAMED | 1,843 | 91 km |
Source: NIFC/IRWIN Wildfire Records (100+ acres).
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17°F (-8°C) | 1.8 in | |
| February | 16°F (-9°C) | 1.8 in | Coldest |
| March | 20°F (-6°C) | 2.3 in | |
| April | 27°F (-3°C) | 1.7 in | |
| May | 38°F (3°C) | 1.5 in | |
| June | 47°F (8°C) | 1.3 in | Driest |
| July | 62°F (17°C) | 2.8 in | Warmest |
| August | 53°F (11°C) | 3.0 in | Wettest |
| September | 47°F (8°C) | 2.3 in | |
| October | 38°F (3°C) | 2.0 in | |
| November | 25°F (-4°C) | 2.1 in | |
| December | 16°F (-9°C) | 2.2 in |
Lake City has a seasonal temperature swing of 46°F / from 16°F in February to 62°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 24.8 inches, with August being the wettest month (3.0") and June the driest (1.3").