December Overview
- High temperature: 43°F (6°C)
- Low temperature: 15°F (-9°C)
- Hours daylight/sun: 6 hours
- Water temperature: 9°F (0°C)
The temperature in Denver in December sees average highs of 43°F with overnight lows dropping below freezing to 15°F. December is the coldest month in Denver and although much less likely than in other winter months, the sporadic, arid Denver climate can see temperatures climb up to over 60°F for a day or two in December. There are usually at least 5 days of snow in December with the potential for rain on up to 5 other days. It remains quite sunny outside of this with the sun shining for an average 6 hours each day (70% of the day). December is when the surrounding ski resorts are fully covered with deep snow and visitor numbers start to increase, especially around the holidays. It’s one of the snowiest months with anywhere from 4 to 12 inches of snow falling in any given year.
Outside of the mountains and ski resorts however, snow doesn’t tend to stay on the ground for long in the city of Denver itself and so outdoor cafes and even golf courses are often able to stay open throughout the winter. When there is snow on the ground in Denver, it’s most commonly only about an inch deep and quickly melts in the sun if not replaced with fresh snowfall. The ice rink at Skyline Park is open in December and the Denver Christkindl Market is also very popular in the runup to the holidays. The Denver Zoo puts up Christmas lights and the Colorado Ballet puts on performances of the Nutcracker.
Best Time to Visit Denver
Denver Denver is a great place to visit at any time of the year especially if you’re looking to be active outdoors. From hiking in the spring and fall to skiing in winter and sightseeing year round, Denver has it all!
Winters can be very unpredictable with the potential for particularly cold or mild weather on any given day.
Summer sees the most rainfall and can feel quite hot, although the humidity remains low in summer, so late spring or early fall are good in terms of consistency of the weather. Highs in spring reach up to 72°F with overnight lows in the 30s F. In fall, there’s the potential for an Indian summer with highs of up to 75°F.
Things to know about Denver
Denver is the capital city of Colorado and lies just east of the Rocky Mountains in a valley at an altitude of 5280 ft, or one mile exactly, which is why it’s known as the Mile-High City that brings along some weather pecularities.
The LoDo (short for lower downtown) district is very trendy and whilst being a historic district, today sees lots of shops, restaurants and clubs. It’s home to the historic Denver Union Station which itself features several shops, bars and restaurants. 16th Street Mall and Latimer Square are next to LoDo and are also trendy areas to visit. In addition, 16th Street Mall offers a free shuttle.
It’s worth checking if there’s a concert on at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre which is located just outside of Denver and is one of the most unique concert venues in the world. It’s essentially a rock (in the geological sense, not the music type) structure that’s been made into an outdoor arena. It has a capacity of close to 10,000 and has seen the likes of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, U2, Depeche Mode and The Grateful Dead all play there.
The Brown Palace Hotel is one of the longest operating hotels in Colorado and offers public tours to highlight its place in history and outline some of its notable guests over the years. Tours are particularly popular in October with “ghost” tours conducted that feature unexplained events that have been collated over the years. You could always join a free walking tour that takes you through downtown and points out the main sights, which there are:
- Denver Art Museum and
- The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
- City and County Building and
- Civic Center Park
- Pepsi Center and
- Colorado State Capitol
