COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo (KOAA) — April is typically the second snowiest month in Colorado Springs, but that has not been the case this year. As a significant spring storm approaches to close out the month, it will much-needed moisture to an unusually dry and warm winter and spring.
The dry conditions are evident at North Cheyenne Canon, where North Cheyenne Creek at Helen Hunt Falls is experiencing record low streamflow. I recently spent some time hiking in the canyon, and residents I spoke to were worried about the dry conditions.
While the incoming storm will not solve the drought, it aligns with the region's climatology for late April. First, late April is a period of the year where average precipitation amounts are increasing across much of southern Colorado. Second - the modeled rain-snow heights with this system are almost spot on with what you'd expect from a climate average standpoint. The weather pattern feels unusual only because the rest of the winter and spring have been abnormally dry.
Colorado Springs averages 5.5 inches of snow in April, while Pueblo averages 3.4 inches (6th snowiest). This snowfall is often front-loaded. The average last measurable snow is April 24 in Colorado Springs and April 13 in Pueblo.
Higher elevations see snow later in the season. In 2025, parts of Woodland Park in Teller County received six to seven inches of snow on May 7, while parts of Black Forest on the Palmer Divide saw three to six inches from the same storm. Teller County is more likely to record notable snow in May than the Palmer Divide because of its higher elevation, according to data I obtained from the CoCoRaHS citizen science observation network. Historical climate data shows Colorado Springs sees measurable snow in May about once every three years over the last 130 years.
Average last freeze dates are also approaching. Pueblo's average last freeze is April 30, and Monument's is May 18. Higher elevation zones in Teller County on the slopes of the Pikes Peak Massif can see freezes into June.
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