Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation

San Juan County had the highest annual precipitation of 64 counties in 2021, at 38.79 inches. Alamosa County had the lowest, at 8.83 inches. The median was 16.84 inches and the figure for Colorado was 17.1 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest38.79San Juan County
Lowest8.83Alamosa County
Median16.8464 counties
Colorado17.1History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 14.18 inchesAlamosa County: 8.83 inchesArapahoe County: 15.2 inchesArchuleta County: 20.66 inchesBaca County: 14.19 inchesBent County: 13.23 inchesBoulder County: 20.44 inchesBroomfield County: 14.9 inchesChaffee County: 17.46 inchesCheyenne County: 13.73 inchesClear Creek County: 25.29 inchesConejos County: 15.69 inchesCostilla County: 15.21 inchesCrowley County: 12.62 inchesCuster County: 18.19 inchesDelta County: 18.25 inchesDenver County: 14.07 inchesDolores County: 21.46 inchesDouglas County: 16.9 inchesEagle County: 22.52 inchesElbert County: 15.99 inchesEl Paso County: 16.39 inchesFremont County: 14.29 inchesGarfield County: 21.73 inchesGilpin County: 22.88 inchesGrand County: 21.27 inchesGunnison County: 21.65 inchesHinsdale County: 26.17 inchesHuerfano County: 17.22 inchesJackson County: 22.66 inchesJefferson County: 17.64 inchesKiowa County: 14.78 inchesKit Carson County: 15.03 inchesLake County: 23.89 inchesLa Plata County: 20.57 inchesLarimer County: 20.57 inchesLas Animas County: 15.53 inchesLincoln County: 13.43 inchesLogan County: 14.37 inchesMesa County: 17.31 inchesMineral County: 26.28 inchesMoffat County: 13.51 inchesMontezuma County: 16.06 inchesMontrose County: 14.92 inchesMorgan County: 12.06 inchesOtero County: 12.94 inchesOuray County: 18.09 inchesPark County: 17.61 inchesPhillips County: 17.71 inchesPitkin County: 30.2 inchesProwers County: 16.09 inchesPueblo County: 15.17 inchesRio Blanco County: 18.06 inchesRio Grande County: 12.44 inchesRoutt County: 23.17 inchesSaguache County: 14.72 inchesSan Juan County: 38.79 inchesSan Miguel County: 16.78 inchesSedgwick County: 17.06 inchesSummit County: 24.41 inchesTeller County: 19.89 inchesWashington County: 14.73 inchesWeld County: 12.79 inchesYuma County: 15.89 inches
  • Under 14
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  • 22 and over
inches, 2021. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

San Juan County: 38.79 inchesSan Juan County38.79Pitkin County: 30.2 inchesPitkin County30.2Mineral County: 26.28 inchesMineral County26.28Hinsdale County: 26.17 inchesHinsdale County26.17Clear Creek County: 25.29 inchesClear Creek County25.29Summit County: 24.41 inchesSummit County24.41Lake County: 23.89 inchesLake County23.89Routt County: 23.17 inchesRoutt County23.17Gilpin County: 22.88 inchesGilpin County22.88Jackson County: 22.66 inchesJackson County22.66Eagle County: 22.52 inchesEagle County22.52Garfield County: 21.73 inchesGarfield County21.73Gunnison County: 21.65 inchesGunnison County21.65Dolores County: 21.46 inchesDolores County21.46Grand County: 21.27 inchesGrand County21.27Archuleta County: 20.66 inchesArchuleta County20.66La Plata County: 20.57 inchesLa Plata County20.57Larimer County: 20.57 inchesLarimer County20.57Boulder County: 20.44 inchesBoulder County20.44Teller County: 19.89 inchesTeller County19.89Delta County: 18.25 inchesDelta County18.25Custer County: 18.19 inchesCuster County18.19Ouray County: 18.09 inchesOuray County18.09Rio Blanco County: 18.06 inchesRio Blanco County18.06Phillips County: 17.71 inchesPhillips County17.71Jefferson County: 17.64 inchesJefferson County17.64Park County: 17.61 inchesPark County17.61Chaffee County: 17.46 inchesChaffee County17.46Mesa County: 17.31 inchesMesa County17.31Huerfano County: 17.22 inchesHuerfano County17.22Sedgwick County: 17.06 inchesSedgwick County17.06Douglas County: 16.9 inchesDouglas County16.9San Miguel County: 16.78 inchesSan Miguel County16.78El Paso County: 16.39 inchesEl Paso County16.39Prowers County: 16.09 inchesProwers County16.09Montezuma County: 16.06 inchesMontezuma County16.06Elbert County: 15.99 inchesElbert County15.99Yuma County: 15.89 inchesYuma County15.89Conejos County: 15.69 inchesConejos County15.69Las Animas County: 15.53 inchesLas Animas County15.53San Juan County: 38.79 inchesSan Juan County38.79Pitkin County: 30.2 inchesPitkin County30.2Mineral County: 26.28 inchesMineral County26.28Hinsdale County: 26.17 inchesHinsdale County26.17Clear Creek County: 25.29 inchesClear Creek County25.29Summit County: 24.41 inchesSummit County24.41Lake County: 23.89 inchesLake County23.89Routt County: 23.17 inchesRoutt County23.17Gilpin County: 22.88 inchesGilpin County22.88Jackson County: 22.66 inchesJackson County22.66Eagle County: 22.52 inchesEagle County22.52Garfield County: 21.73 inchesGarfield County21.73Gunnison County: 21.65 inchesGunnison County21.65Dolores County: 21.46 inchesDolores County21.46Grand County: 21.27 inchesGrand County21.27Archuleta County: 20.66 inchesArchuleta County20.66La Plata County: 20.57 inchesLa Plata County20.57Larimer County: 20.57 inchesLarimer County20.57Boulder County: 20.44 inchesBoulder County20.44Teller County: 19.89 inchesTeller County19.89Delta County: 18.25 inchesDelta County18.25Custer County: 18.19 inchesCuster County18.19Ouray County: 18.09 inchesOuray County18.09Rio Blanco County: 18.06 inchesRio Blanco County18.06Phillips County: 17.71 inchesPhillips County17.71Jefferson County: 17.64 inchesJefferson County17.64Park County: 17.61 inchesPark County17.61Chaffee County: 17.46 inchesChaffee County17.46Mesa County: 17.31 inchesMesa County17.31Huerfano County: 17.22 inchesHuerfano County17.22Sedgwick County: 17.06 inchesSedgwick County17.06Douglas County: 16.9 inchesDouglas County16.9San Miguel County: 16.78 inchesSan Miguel County16.78El Paso County: 16.39 inchesEl Paso County16.39Prowers County: 16.09 inchesProwers County16.09Montezuma County: 16.06 inchesMontezuma County16.06Elbert County: 15.99 inchesElbert County15.99Yuma County: 15.89 inchesYuma County15.89Conejos County: 15.69 inchesConejos County15.69Las Animas County: 15.53 inchesLas Animas County15.53
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
inches
Change on 2020
1San Juan County38.79+52%
2Pitkin County30.2+33.4%
3Mineral County26.28+48.1%
4Hinsdale County26.17+28.9%
5Clear Creek County25.29+21.9%
6Summit County24.41+13.3%
7Lake County23.89+9.5%
8Routt County23.17+18.3%
9Gilpin County22.88+28.3%
10Jackson County22.66+24.9%
11Eagle County22.52+22.9%
12Garfield County21.73+53.1%
13Gunnison County21.65+28.3%
14Dolores County21.46+72.4%
15Grand County21.27+21.8%
16Archuleta County20.66+50.8%
17La Plata County20.57+67.9%
17Larimer County20.57+29.9%
19Boulder County20.44+28.2%
20Teller County19.89+41.7%
21Delta County18.25+82.9%
22Custer County18.19+23.7%
23Ouray County18.09+23.8%
24Rio Blanco County18.06+38.3%
25Phillips County17.71+50.9%
26Jefferson County17.64+35.5%
27Park County17.61+30.2%
28Chaffee County17.46+31.4%
29Mesa County17.31+82.8%
30Huerfano County17.22+50%
31Sedgwick County17.06+59.1%
32Douglas County16.9+43.6%
33San Miguel County16.78+61.7%
34El Paso County16.39+53.3%
35Prowers County16.09+56.5%
36Montezuma County16.06+91.6%
37Elbert County15.99+39.4%
38Yuma County15.89+38.5%
39Conejos County15.69+29.8%
40Las Animas County15.53+54.2%
41Costilla County15.21+21.4%
42Arapahoe County15.2+47.3%
43Pueblo County15.17+76.4%
44Kit Carson County15.03+38.3%
45Montrose County14.92+91%
46Broomfield County14.9+30.6%
47Kiowa County14.78+65.1%
48Washington County14.73+49.2%
49Saguache County14.72+25.1%
50Logan County14.37+34%
51Fremont County14.29+32.8%
52Baca County14.19+32%
53Adams County14.18+36.1%
54Denver County14.07+39.7%
55Cheyenne County13.73+62.7%
56Moffat County13.51+28.4%
57Lincoln County13.43+43.8%
58Bent County13.23+34.2%
59Otero County12.94+26%
60Weld County12.79+28.2%
61Crowley County12.62+34%
62Rio Grande County12.44+16.8%
63Morgan County12.06+12.9%
64Alamosa County8.83+4.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total precipitation from January to December, in inches: rain plus the water content of snow and other frozen precipitation. NOAA computes it from its climate divisional dataset (nClimDiv): station readings interpolated onto a 5 km grid and averaged over the area.

Values are area averages, not the reading at one weather station. NOAA revises the last two years every month.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2026). NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties (Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping

MLA 9

NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation, 2021. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 6 Oct. 2026, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/colorado-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 2026. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/colorado-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/colorado-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_colorado_by_2021,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/colorado-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
TI  - NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/colorado-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/colorado-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Colorado by annual precipitation using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest annual precipitation?

San Juan County, with 38.79 inches in 2021, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Alamosa County, with 8.83 inches in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Annual precipitation: other rankings

Counties in Colorado: more rankings