 Denver lies within the semi @-@ arid , continental climate zone ( Köppen climate classification BSk ) . It has four distinct seasons and receives a modest amount of precipitation spread through the year . Due to its inland location on the High Plains , at the foot of the Rocky Mountains , Denver , like all cities along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains , is subject to sudden changes in weather . Denver can typically count on having about 115 clear days , 130 partly cloudy days and 120 cloudy days each year . July is the warmest month , with a daily average temperature of 74 @.@ 2 ° F ( 23 @.@ 4 ° C ) . Summers range from mild to hot with occasional afternoon thunderstorms and high temperatures reaching 90 ° F ( 32 ° C ) on 38 days annually , and occasionally 100 ° F ( 38 ° C ) . December , the coldest month of the year , has a daily average temperature of 29 @.@ 9 ° F ( − 1 @.@ 2 ° C ) . Winters range from mild to occasional bitter cold , consisting of periods of snow and very low temperatures alternating with periods of relatively milder weather . In winter , highs can reach up to 75 ° F ( 24 ° C ) , but can also sometimes be below 0 ° F ( − 18 ° C ) . Snowfall is common throughout the late fall , winter and early spring , averaging 53 @.@ 5 inches ( 136 cm ) for 1981 – 2010 . The average window for measurable ( ≥ 0 @.@ 1 in or 0 @.@ 25 cm ) snow is October 17 through April 27 although measurable snowfall has fallen in Denver as early as September 4 and as late as June 3 . Extremes in temperature range from − 29 ° F ( − 34 ° C ) on January 9 , 1875 up to 105 ° F ( 41 ° C ) as recently as June 25 and 26 , 2012 . Tornadoes are rare in Denver , though one notable exception was an F3 tornado that struck 4 @.@ 4 miles south of downtown on June 15 , 1988 . However , the eastern suburbs of Denver , and the city 's east @-@ northeastern extension which is the Denver International Airport , can see a few small tornadoes in the spring and summer months , especially during June in the Denver Convergence Vorticity Zone ( DCVZ ) . The DCVZ , also known as the Denver Cyclone , is a variable vortex of storm @-@ forming air flow usually found north and east of downtown , and which often includes the airport . Heavy weather from the DCVZ can disrupt airport operations . In a study looking at hail events in areas with a population of at least 50 @,@ 000 , Denver was found to be ranked 10th most prone to hail storms in the continental United States . 
