Summit forecast, next 72 hours
- New snow0 in
- Strongest gusts30 mphColumbus Day
- Coldest27°F
| Forecast | Snow | Gusts | Temp °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus DayMostly Sunny | 0 in | 30 mph | High 56° |
| TonightPartly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers | 0 in | 25 mph | Low 39° |
| TuesdayMostly Sunny | 0 in | 30 mph | High 53° |
| Tuesday NightChance Rain Showers then Chance Rain And Snow Showers | 0 in | 20 mph | Low 35° |
| WednesdayRain And Snow Showers | 0 in | 25 mph | High 45° |
| Wednesday NightChance Rain And Snow Showers then Partly Cloudy | 0 in | 15 mph | Low 27° |
Snow is the forecast new accumulation at the summit grid point. Dots use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
Typical weather by month
Monthly normals from the long-term stations nearest the summit. None sits exactly on the pass, so each column says how far away and how high it is.
| Month | Sargents 8,460 ft · 18 mi west of the summit | Salida 7,160 ft · 9 mi northeast of the summit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow (in) | High / low °F | Snow (in) | |
| Jan | 33° / -5° | 21.5 | 43° / 12° | 4.0 |
| Feb | 37° / -3° | 19.0 | 46° / 15° | 4.1 |
| Mar | 45° / 9° | 14.6 | 54° / 21° | 6.5 |
| Apr | 54° / 20° | 12.1 | 60° / 28° | 8.0 |
| May | 65° / 26° | 2.7 | 70° / 35° | 2.7 |
| Jun | 76° / 32° | 0.2 | 82° / 43° | 0 |
| Jul | 82° / 39° | 0 | 86° / 49° | 0 |
| Aug | 79° / 37° | 0 | 83° / 47° | 0 |
| Sep | 73° / 28° | 0.2 | 77° / 39° | 0 |
| Oct | 61° / 17° | 3.6 | 65° / 29° | 2.6 |
| Nov | 46° / 8° | 11.8 | 53° / 20° | 4.1 |
| Dec | 34° / -4° | 19.6 | 43° / 13° | 4.7 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: SARGENTS (USC00057460, 8,460 ft); SALIDA (USC00057370, 7,160 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Cameras, road reports and winter rules
Conditions on the pass change by the hour, so these go straight to the official sources.
- Colorado · CDOTCOtrip conditions and cameras
- Colorado · winter rulesTraction and chain laws
Check the official National Weather Service forecast for the summit and the road report before you leave.
Crossing Poncha Pass? See the summit at the hour you’ll be there
Road Travel times the forecast to your drive, so you see conditions at the summit when you will actually reach it, and get alerts about weather ahead on the way.
Questions about Poncha Pass
How high is Poncha Pass?
The summit is 9,009 ft above sea level, on US-285.
How far is Poncha Pass from Poncha Springs and Saguache?
By road, the summit is 7 miles from Poncha Springs, CO and 33 miles from Saguache, CO.
How cold does it get near Poncha Pass?
The coldest month is January. Salida (7,160 ft, 9 mi northeast of the summit) averages a low of 12°F then (1991–2020 normals); the summit is 1,849 ft higher.