How Cold Does Colorado Get?

[HelenJim]

Thanks for all the info NW Crow!! I looked at average temps in Boone and Blacksburg, and while they are warmer than Chicago, I don't think they would be warm enough. They look like really great towns, though. Asheville and Knoxville are a little warmer than those two, K being slightly warmer.
We had tossed around the idea of places in Arizona, but that might be too far away from our families here. We would love for them to come visit, and the distance would mean they would most likely fly rather than drive, and that could restrict how often they would do that. We went to Santa Fe to check it out, looked at houses with beautiful mountain views, but their mornings and evenings get pretty chilly with the altitude.
When we're in the Knoxville area, I'll check out Farragut and Maryville. Farragut sounds like it would have nice places for us to go out to, whereas Maryville would have closer access to the mountains.
I'm still feeling out areas in Asheville to check out. Weaverville, Black Mountain, Biltmore Forest, B. Park? We want a place with nice friendly people and one that's safe, plus nice mountain views.

[McGowdog]

There's this thing on the TV called the weather channel.

Also, in Southern Colorado, when it's a slow news day, the news people sit around and talk about the weather. There's even a designated time slot allocated to guess what? Right. The weather. It's right before the Sports.

Now's a pretty appropriate time to talk about the cold, because it's kind of cold out there today, mid to upper 30s this morning and only low 40s out there right now.

If you're a SoCal, you'll think Colorado gets pretty nippy from about Halloween on to late Spring. If you're from southern Florida, you'll think it's unGodly out here. If you're from east of Colorado, the Midwest or the east coast, you'll think it's Disneyland.

[NW Crow]

Mountain views are pretty common outside Asheville. Real estate pics should help you find them. In town you may need a bit of elevation variance and tree clearing for a view corridor.

Yeah Boone is a bit cooler / snowier in winter than Asheville. But a bit cooler in summer too, I believe.

Can get to various beaches in winter if you need a change.

[RiverStJames]

We've been living in California for seven years. We used to live back east. Will we freeze we move to Colorado? Or will we acclimate? Thank you!

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by RiverStJames

We've been living in California for seven years. We used to live back east. Will we freeze we move to Colorado? Or will we acclimate? Thank you!

Nobody has ever successfully moved from California to Colorado. You will freeze. Fingers and toes will literally fall off.

[TCHP]

Skydog, that's funny!

Originally Posted by RiverStJames

We've been living in California for seven years. We used to live back east. Will we freeze we move to Colorado? Or will we acclimate? Thank you!

Your question is kinda like this: I may be moving to California, are jelly fish stings deadly? Or will I build up immunity to them?

[NW Crow]

If it is 47 for the high in March are you fine or are you grumbling? If it is 64 for the high in May are you saying awesome! or "wish it was 84"? Do cold nights half the year bug you or do you say "great sleeping weather"?

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by RiverStJames

We've been living in California for seven years. We used to live back east. Will we freeze we move to Colorado? Or will we acclimate? Thank you!

That'll depend on which part of Colorado, because as with California, we have many micro-climates.

We moved from California to Colorado two years ago and have adjusted just fine, but we both came from places with humid winters.

The aridity of the Front Range area is similar enough to a large part of California (although with more distinct seasons), and although it does get much colder here than say Southern California, the dry air coupled with usually sunny winter days make it bearable and even enjoyable most of the time.

Nights are almost always cold, but days dry and sunny usually. You can easily enjoy outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking and snowshoeing during the winter months in the high country and be mostly snow free along the Front Range corridor.

In my opinion, November through February, particularly February are pretty nice. March-May, when it starts to rain a bit and the weather is a bit more gray are really the only periods, where the weather is kind of crappy. Again, that will be open to opinion.