Fort Collins, Colorado · winter 2026-27

Chill hours in Fort Collins this winter

Chill hours so far (45°F model)6868 hours at or below 45°F since 1 November, to Nov 8. Same date last winter: 88. Station: Ft Collins, 1 km away.
Last winter (2025-26)
1,681
1 Nov to 28 Feb
By this date last winter
88
1 Nov to Nov 8
Hours 32–45°F so far
56
the 0–45°F model leaves out freezing hours
Coldest month last winter
January
521 chill hours

Chill hours accumulated since 1 November

Hours at or below 45°F, running total. Grey: last winter; clay: this winter so far.

04008001,2001,600NovDecJanFeb2025-26: 1,681 h68 h so far
04008001,2001,600NovDecJanFeb2025-26: 1,681 h68 h so far
  • Winter 2026-27
  • Winter 2025-26
View as table
MonthChill hours (≤ 45°F)
November 2025358
December 2025441
January 2026521
February 2026361
Total1,681
Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, station USC00053005; hours estimated from each day's high and low.

Fruit trees need a set number of cold hours in winter before they bloom well. Nurseries rate varieties by it: low-chill varieties need roughly 100 to 400 hours, many peaches and plums 500 to 900, and most apples and sweet cherries 800 to 1,200 or more. Your variety's rating is the number to compare with the 1,681 hours Fort Collins had last winter.

Chill hours here are hours at or below 45°F, estimated hour by hour from the station's daily high and low. Checked against measured hourly air temperature at 39 NOAA reference stations last winter, the estimate was within 1.9% of the measured count at the median station. How it is checked.

Chill hours nearby

Each from a different station.

CityDistanceChill hours so farLast winter
Greeley, CO36 km481,674
Boulder, CO65 km701,523
Brighton, CO70 km571,769
Denver, CO94 km491,597
Castle Rock, CO136 km821,718
Cañon City, CO239 km541,476

Questions

How many chill hours has Fort Collins had this winter?
68 hours at or below 45°F from 1 November to Nov 8, 2026, estimated from the daily highs and lows at the Ft Collins station.
How many chill hours did Fort Collins get last winter?
1,681 hours from 1 November to 28 February (2025-26).
Which chill model is this?
The simple 45°F model: every hour at or below 45°F counts. The 32 to 45°F count, which leaves out hours below freezing, is shown as well.

Data: Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily (GHCN-Daily), daily maximum and minimum temperature (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)); GeoNames gazetteer (cities15000) (GeoNames).