LOCATION AND CLIMATE

Durango is located near the "Four Corners" - the only spot in the United States where four states meet. Although many Colorado mountain towns are hemmed in by high mountain passes, that's not the case with Durango. No mountain passes block the way for businesses that must transport wares by highway to markets in the Southeast, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and central and southern California. There are no high passes to traverse when traveling south from Durango to Interstate Highway 40.

Distance and Direction to Major Cities

Hwy. Miles

Albuquerque	212 SW
Colorado Springs	302 NE
Denver	333 NE
Grand Junction	174 NW
Phoenix	456 SW
Santa Fe	214 SE
Salt Lake City	413 NW

Durango enjoys an ideal four-season climate with moderate temperatures year-round. Winters are mostly mild and sunny. Early winter temperatures can dip below zero, but those cold snaps are short-lived and rare. Winter snowfall amounts vary with elevation. For example, the Purgatory/Durango Ski Area 25 miles north of Durango averages 250 inches of snow each year - perfect for skiing. In town, average snowfall is 71 inches a year, and because of the warmer temperatures at the lower elevation, snow removal is only an occasional chore of manageable size.

Springtime brings warmer weather with rain and an occasional snow shower to brighten up the greening lawns and high-country meadows. During summer, temperatures seldom reach more than the high 80s. Rivers and reservoirs stay relatively full in summer - due largely to the deep snow accumulations in the surrounding mountains. Fall brings the promise of "Indian Summer" and clear, dry, cool days - perfect for a mountain hike or drive to see the golden aspen and orange-red scrub oak.

Table I-1 gives climatic data on the Durango area.

TABLE I-1

CLIMATIC DATA: DURANGO, COLORADO

	January	July
Mean Monthly Temperature:	25.3	67.0
Mean Daily Maximum Temperature:	45.3	83.1 F
Mean Daily Minimum Temperature:	14.4	45.9 F

Average Annual Precipitation:	19.1 inches
Mean Freeze Free Period:	99 days
Elevation above sea level:	6,512 feet

Solar Index: 85 percent of time sun - great solar exposure

Only 59 days per year of rain

Source: La Plata County Business Opportunities 1995
Sponsored by Durango Industrial Development Foundation
Research - Fort Lewis College Office of Business Analysis

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