Editing Colorado Springs, Colorado (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Colorado Springs CO.jpg|thumb|left|View of Colorado Springs and [[Pikes Peak]] from the eastern plains]]

The city lies in a [[Great Plains|semi-arid Steppe region]],<ref name="skybrary.aero">{{cite web|url=https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/KCOS|title=Colorado Springs – SKYbrary Aviation Safety|access-date=January 25, 2021|archive-date=January 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131150120/https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/KCOS|url-status=live}}</ref>with the [[Southern Rocky Mountains]] to the west, the [[Palmer Divide]] to the north, [[Great Plains|high plains]] further east, and high desert lands to the south when leaving [[Fountain, Colorado|Fountain]] and approaching [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]].<ref name=SpringsGovInfo /> Colorado Springs is {{convert|69|mile|km|sigfig=3}} or at best one hour and five minutes south of Denver by car using [[Interstate 25 in Colorado|I-25]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Distance between Denver, CO and Colorado Springs, CO |url=https://www.distance-cities.com/distance-denver-co-to-colorado-springs-co |access-date=February 1, 2020 |website=www.distance-cities.com |archive-date=February 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202020515/https://www.distance-cities.com/distance-denver-co-to-colorado-springs-co |url-status=live }}</ref>

Colorado Springs has the [[List of United States cities by area|greatest total area]] of any municipality in Colorado. At the [[2020 United States census]], the city had a total area of {{convert|507.019|km2|mi2|order=flip}} including {{convert|0.937|km2|mi2|order=flip}} of water.<ref name=2020_Census/>

===Climate===
[[File:ISS067-E-170859 Colorado Springs through the clouds.jpg|thumb|right|View of the city through the clouds on July 1, 2022, taken from the International Space Station with north oriented towards the left]]

Colorado Springs has a cooler, dry-winter [[Continental climate|monsoon influenced continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dwa''/''Cwa''), and its location just east of the Rocky Mountains affords it the rapid warming influence from [[chinook winds]] during winter but also subjects it to drastic day-to-day variability in weather conditions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colorado Climate Center – Climate of Colorado |url=http://climate.colostate.edu/climateofcolorado.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703034302/http://climate.colostate.edu/climateofcolorado.php |archive-date=July 3, 2012 |access-date=July 13, 2012 |publisher=Climate.colostate.edu}}</ref> The city has abundant sunshine year-round, averaging 243 sunny days per year,<ref>{{cite web |title=Colorado Springs, Colorado Climate |url=http://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/colorado/colorado_springs |access-date=October 28, 2015 |publisher=BestPlaces |archive-date=October 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024044702/http://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/colorado/colorado_springs |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 3, 2012 |title=Colorado sunshine is more myth than science |url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/weather/2012/01/03/colorado-sunshine-not-all-its-hyped-up-to-be/110/ |access-date=October 28, 2015 |website=The Denver Post |archive-date=October 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031082018/http://blogs.denverpost.com/weather/2012/01/03/colorado-sunshine-not-all-its-hyped-up-to-be/110/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and receives approximately {{convert|16.5|in|mm|0}} of annual [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]]. Due to unusually low precipitation for several years after flooding in 1999, Colorado Springs enacted lawn water restrictions in 2002. These were lifted in 2005<ref name="SpringsGovInfo">{{cite web |date=November 3, 2010 |title=City of Colorado Springs – Drought |url=http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1188 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201073818/http://springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1188 |archive-date=December 1, 2010 |access-date=November 3, 2010}}</ref> but permanently reinstated in December 2019.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 22, 2020|title=New "water-wise" rules now in effect|url=https://coloradosprings.gov/city-council/article/news/new-water-wise-rules-now-effect|access-date=July 13, 2021|website=Colorado Springs|language=en|archive-date=July 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713013500/https://coloradosprings.gov/city-council/article/news/new-water-wise-rules-now-effect|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Colorado Springs is one of the most active lightning strike areas in the United States.<ref name="skybrary.aero"/> This natural phenomenon led [[Nikola Tesla]] to select Colorado Springs as the preferred location to build his lab and study electricity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tesla, Life and Legacy |url=https://www.pbs.org/tesla/ll/ll_colspr.html |access-date=April 10, 2014 |publisher=pbs.org |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707120257/http://www.pbs.org/tesla/ll/ll_colspr.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Seasonal climate====
December is typically the coldest month, averaging {{convert|30.8|°F|1}}. Historically, January had been the coldest month, but, in recent years, December has had both lower daily maxima and minima.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colorado Springs |url=http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/colorado/colorado-springs/ |access-date=September 15, 2010 |publisher=Climate-zone.com |archive-date=September 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924215420/http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/colorado/colorado-springs/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Typically, there are 5.2 nights with sub-{{convert|0|°F|0}} lows and 23.6 days where the high does not rise above freezing.<ref name="NOAA" />

Snowfall is usually moderate and remains on the ground briefly because of direct sun, with the city receiving {{convert|38|in|cm|0}} per season, although the mountains to the west often receive in excess of triple that amount; March is the snowiest month in the region, both by total accumulation and number of days with measurable snowfall. In addition, 8 of the top 10 heaviest 24-hour snowfalls have occurred from March to May.<ref name = NOAA/> Summers are warm, with July, the warmest month, averaging {{convert|70.9|°F|1}}, and 18 days of {{convert|90|°F|0}}+ highs annually. Due to the high elevation and aridity, nights are usually relatively cool and rarely does the low remain above {{convert|70|°F|0}}.<ref name = NOAA/><!--As of Summer 2012, No. 10 extreme high daily minimum is {{convert|69|F}}--> Dry weather generally prevails, but brief afternoon thunderstorms are common, especially in July and August when the city receives the majority of its annual rainfall, due to the [[North American monsoon]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Evolution of the North American Monsoon |work=DRI Desert Research Institute |url=https://www.dri.edu/monsoon |url-status=dead |access-date=February 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227232120/https://www.dri.edu/monsoon |archive-date=February 27, 2017}}</ref>

The first autumn freeze and the last freeze in the spring, on average, occur on October 2 and May 6, respectively; the average window for measurable snowfall (≥{{convert|0.1|in|cm|abbr=on|disp=or}}) is October 21 through April 25. Extreme temperatures range from {{convert|101|°F|0}} on [[Summer 2012 North American heat wave|June 26, 2012]] and most recently on June 21, 2016, down to {{convert|-27|°F|0}} on February 1, 1951, and December 9, 1919.<ref>{{cite web |last=climateSpy.com |title=Colorado Springs, CO climate in February |url=https://www.climatespy.com/climate/summary/united-states/colorado/city-of-colorado-springs-muni/february |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227232106/http://www.climatespy.com/climate/summary/united-states/colorado/city-of-colorado-springs-muni/february |archive-date=February 27, 2017 |access-date=February 27, 2017 |website=climatespy.com}}</ref>
{{clear|left}}

====Climate data====
{{Weather box
|location = Colorado Springs, Colorado ([[Colorado Springs Municipal Airport]]), 1991–2020 normals,{{efn|Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.}} extremes 1894–present
|width=auto
|single line = Y
|collapsed = yes
|Jan high F = 45.0
|Feb high F = 46.5
|Mar high F = 54.9
|Apr high F = 61.0
|May high F = 70.7
|Jun high F = 81.6
|Jul high F = 86.5
|Aug high F = 83.6
|Sep high F = 77.1
|Oct high F = 64.7
|Nov high F = 52.9
|Dec high F = 44.6
|year high F= 64.1
|Jan mean F = 31.8
|Feb mean F = 33.4
|Mar mean F = 41.1
|Apr mean F = 47.5
|May mean F = 57.5
|Jun mean F = 67.2
|Jul mean F = 72.4
|Aug mean F = 70.1
|Sep mean F = 63.0
|Oct mean F = 50.7
|Nov mean F = 39.5
|Dec mean F = 31.7
|year mean F= 50.5
|Jan low F = 18.5
|Feb low F = 20.2
|Mar low F = 27.3
|Apr low F = 34.0
|May low F = 43.5
|Jun low F = 52.8
|Jul low F = 58.2
|Aug low F = 56.6
|Sep low F = 48.9
|Oct low F = 36.6
|Nov low F = 26.0
|Dec low F = 18.7
|year low F= 36.8
|Jan avg record high F = 64.5
|Feb avg record high F = 66.2
|Mar avg record high F = 72.8
|Apr avg record high F = 79.0
|May avg record high F = 85.8
|Jun avg record high F = 93.8
|Jul avg record high F = 95.2
|Aug avg record high F = 92.7
|Sep avg record high F = 88.9
|Oct avg record high F = 81.8
|Nov avg record high F = 71.6
|Dec avg record high F = 64.1
|year avg record high F= 96.7
|Jan avg record low F = −1.4
|Feb avg record low F =  1.4
|Mar avg record low F =  9.6
|Apr avg record low F = 19.3
|May avg record low F = 30.1
|Jun avg record low F = 42.5
|Jul avg record low F = 50.9
|Aug avg record low F = 48.5
|Sep avg record low F = 35.6
|Oct avg record low F = 19.6
|Nov avg record low F =  7.4
|Dec avg record low F = −1.6
|year avg record low F= -7.1

|Jan record high F =  73
|Feb record high F =  77
|Mar record high F =  81
|Apr record high F =  87
|May record high F =  94
|Jun record high F = 101
|Jul record high F = 100
|Aug record high F =  99
|Sep record high F =  98
|Oct record high F =  87
|Nov record high F =  78
|Dec record high F =  77

|Jan record low F = −26
|Feb record low F = −27
|Mar record low F = −16
|Apr record low F =  −3
|May record low F =  15
|Jun record low F =  27
|Jul record low F =  37
|Aug record low F =  34
|Sep record low F =  20
|Oct record low F =  −6
|Nov record low F = −12
|Dec record low F = −27
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.29
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.32
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.79
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.45
|May precipitation inch = 1.99
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.27
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.12
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.96
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.35
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.77
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.37
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.23
|year precipitation inch=15.91
|Jan snow inch = 4.9
|Feb snow inch = 4.6
|Mar snow inch = 5.7
|Apr snow inch = 5.5
|May snow inch = 0.6
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.2
|Oct snow inch = 2.5
|Nov snow inch = 4.4
|Dec snow inch = 4.1
|year snow inch=32.5
| snow depth colour    =  <!-- Enter "green" for green snowfall colours, "none" for no colours, remove this line for blue colouring. -->
| Jan snow depth inch  = 2
| Feb snow depth inch  = 3
| Mar snow depth inch  = 3
| Apr snow depth inch  = 3
| May snow depth inch  = 1
| Jun snow depth inch  = 0
| Jul snow depth inch  = 0
| Aug snow depth inch  = 0
| Sep snow depth inch  = 0
| Oct snow depth inch  = 2
| Nov snow depth inch  = 2
| Dec snow depth inch  = 2
| year snow depth inch =
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan precipitation days = 3.6
|Feb precipitation days = 4.6
|Mar precipitation days = 6.7
|Apr precipitation days = 8.2
|May precipitation days =10.3
|Jun precipitation days = 9.8
|Jul precipitation days =12.1
|Aug precipitation days =12.4
|Sep precipitation days = 6.6
|Oct precipitation days = 4.8
|Nov precipitation days = 4.5
|Dec precipitation days = 3.7
|year precipitation days=87.3
|Jan snow days = 3.9
|Feb snow days = 4.4
|Mar snow days = 4.9
|Apr snow days = 3.6
|May snow days = 0.6
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.3
|Oct snow days = 1.7
|Nov snow days = 3.7
|Dec snow days = 4.0
|year snow days=27.1
|Jan sun = 217
|Feb sun = 224
|Mar sun = 279
|Apr sun = 300 
|May sun = 310
|Jun sun = 330
|Jul sun = 341
|Aug sun = 310
|Sep sun = 270
|Oct sun = 248
|Nov sun = 210
|Dec sun = 217
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NOAA">{{cite web |title=NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data |url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=pub |access-date=September 3, 2019 |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725034422/https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=pub |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NOAA_txt">{{cite web |title=Station Name: CO COLORADO SPRINGS MUNI AP |url=ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00093037.normals.txt |access-date=March 13, 2019 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |archive-date=March 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200313145750/ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00093037.normals.txt |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Colorado Springs Weatherbox NOAA txt">{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00093037&format=pdf |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020 |access-date=May 9, 2021 |archive-date=February 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221225458/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00093037&format=pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|source 2 = Weather-US<ref name="Weather-US">{{cite web |title=Monthly weather forecast and climate Colorado Springs, CO |url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/colorado-usa/colorado-springs-climate#daylight_sunshine |access-date=July 9, 2020 |publisher=Weather Atlas |archive-date=July 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711163757/https://www.weather-us.com/en/colorado-usa/colorado-springs-climate#daylight_sunshine |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Weather-US_txt">{{cite web |title=Station Name: CO COLORADO SPRINGS MUNI AP |url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/colorado-usa/colorado-springs-climate#daylight_sunshine |access-date=July 9, 2020 |publisher=Weather Atlas |archive-date=July 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711163757/https://www.weather-us.com/en/colorado-usa/colorado-springs-climate#daylight_sunshine |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Candelaria |first=Esteban |date=June 17, 2021 |title=Colorado Springs hits 100 degrees, marking milestone |language=en |url=https://gazette.com/weather/colorado-springs-hits-100-degrees-marking-milestone/article_26f3a872-cee1-11eb-bfc5-1fdcc41fe127.html |access-date=September 15, 2021 |archive-date=September 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915082646/https://gazette.com/weather/colorado-springs-hits-100-degrees-marking-milestone/article_26f3a872-cee1-11eb-bfc5-1fdcc41fe127.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}