It Snows More in These Colorado Towns Than Almost Anywhere

As we head into November, the weather here in Colorado seems to finally be cooling down to somewhat normal temperatures.

Soon enough, it will get flat out cold again. For example, what is generally accepted to be the coldest town in Colorado, Fraser, has both an average annual temperature of 36.2 degrees and has 287.3 days of frost.

For many people, though, the colder weather means one thing; the return of snow to the Centennial State. 

Whether you love it because of the awesome skiing and snowboarding conditions it brings or hate it because it can be a hassle to drive around in, it’s essentially a given that we’re in for some snow this winter. 

Here in Northern Colorado, you can typically expect to see anywhere from 40 to 50 inches of snow each year, which is pretty standard for the region.

However, other places in Colorado get absolutely dumped with snow each winter in comparison. 

The Top Three Towns for Snowfall in Colorado

When it comes to the places with the highest snowfall in Colorado, of course you’ve got to look towards the mountains.

There, you’ll find three communities that get absolutely pounded each year and have the highest average snowfalls in the state. 

In third place is Grant, Colorado, which tends to get an impressive 195 inches of snow each year.

The second most goes to Bailey, Colorado, which ups the stakes by having 204.56 inches each year. 

Finally, just barely edging out Bailey is Shawnee, Colorado. Shawnee gets an absolutely absurd 204.83 inches of snow each year.

All Three Towns For Highest Snowfall Are in the Same Area

The thing about these three separate towns is that they all are in the same county: Park County. 

A relatively small county that has the decently sized town of Fairplay (which gets 146.19 inches of snow annually), what makes the area so primed for big snowfall numbers is quite simply its location.

 Not only does it get extremely cold in the winter, where 20 below is not uncommon, but the wind also can create whiteout conditions. 

Plus, the nearby mountains raise moist air up in the air, where it cools down. This process is called orographic lift, and it creates nearly half of the snow in the Rocky Mountains.

With all of these factors combined, it’s easy to see why towns in Park County get some monster snowfall each year.