Aspen has a high-alpine continental climate at 7,900 feet with long, snowy winters and short, mild summers. At Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, the 1991-2020 reference averages range from a daily high of 34°F (1°C) in Dec to 82°F (28°C) in Jul. Monthly precipitation averages sum to 14.9 inches (379 mm) per year.
Winter storm cycles from November through April build the snowpack that drives the ski season, with the deepest totals usually from December through March. Spring is muddy and changeable as valley snow gives way to rain while the high country keeps accumulating. Summer mornings are warm and dry, but the North American monsoon fires afternoon thunderstorms over the peaks in July and August. Fall turns cold quickly, with the first valley snows often arriving by mid-October and Independence Pass closing for the season in early November.