Editing Del Norte, Colorado (section)

==Physical geography==
[[Image:DelNortePeakInRioGrandeNationalForestColoradoNovember2011.JPG|thumb|left|Del Norte Peak rises above the town several miles to the west.]]
Relatively-speaking, it is located where the [[Rio Grande]] leaves the San Juan Mountains and enters the [[San Luis Valley]], near its confluences with Pinos Creek and San Francisco Creek, respectively. Due to its location on the western edge of the valley, a variety of climates, vegetation regions, and ecosystems transition into each other at or around Del Norte. Within a twenty mile radius of the town, from alpine tundra, montane forests, to high-altitude desert. Common vegetation around Del Norte ranges from coniferous pine trees, deciduous aspen trees and cottonwoods, to sagebrush and cacti. During the warmer months of the year, [[Alcea|hollyhock]], [[Cosmos (flower)|cosmos]], [[poppy|poppies]], and [[Helianthus|sunflowers]] are frequently found around the town. Lookout Mountain (also known to locals as 'D' Mountain) overlooks the town, and is perhaps its most notable landmark. The classification of 'mountain' has been a misnomer, considering that 'D' Mountain has a mild [[Topographic prominence|prominence]] from the rest of the town (approximately 591 feet), and that there is nearby terrain with much greater prominence; however, the classification has stuck since early settlement.

At the [[2020 United States census]], the town had a total area of {{convert|2.547|km2|acre|order=flip}}, all of it land.<ref name=2020_Census/>

[[File:DN Pronghorn 010520.jpg|thumb|Winter time on the Pronghorn Trail just south of Del Norte, looking east towards 'D' Mountain, the [[Sangre de Cristo Range|Sangres]], and the [[Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve|Sand Dunes]].]]

===Climate===

Like most places in the San Luis Valley, Del Norte is generally categorized in a [[Semi-arid climate|semi-arid]] or a high-altitude [[Desert climate|desert]] climate.  Precipitation is the main factor that determines this classification year-to-year, as it can fluctuate from as many as 10-12 inches annually in a wetter year, to 6 inches or less during a drought year. One reason precipitation varies greatly year-to-year is because the town is located in a [[rain shadow]] created by the [[San Juan Mountains]]. Because of this, precipitation is often determined by how strong and intense storm fronts are, and how these fronts move across the area. This explains why Wolf Creek Ski Area, located about 28 miles west of town, receives on average over 400 inches of snow per year, while Del Norte receives about 10% of that amount – about 40 inches of snow annually. Most precipitation falls in the form of rain or snow; hail and sleet are uncommon, but not unheard of. In general, one can expect in Del Norte to experience mild summers and cold winters, with spring and autumn varying between these. Springtime in the area generally includes gusty winds, and many of the year's strongest snowstorms actually happen during this season. Summer monsoons can hit the area as well, beginning in July and continuing through the end of September. During summer monsoons, the area generally experiences sunny mornings with clouds and storms moving in during the afternoon, and varying amounts of precipitation ranging from light drizzles of rain to brief, torrential downpours. Like most of Colorado, night time temperatures can drop quickly and intensely, because of the dry climate and the lack of moisture in the air.

{{Weather box
|location = Del Norte, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan record high F = 61
|Feb record high F = 68
|Mar record high F = 73
|Apr record high F = 80
|May record high F = 87
|Jun record high F = 92
|Jul record high F = 93
|Aug record high F = 89
|Sep record high F = 87
|Oct record high F = 81
|Nov record high F = 70
|Dec record high F = 62

|Jan avg record high F = 46.5
|Feb avg record high F = 51.2
|Mar avg record high F = 64.5
|Apr avg record high F = 71.0
|May avg record high F = 77.4
|Jun avg record high F = 84.7
|Jul avg record high F = 85.3
|Aug avg record high F = 83.2
|Sep avg record high F = 80.2
|Oct avg record high F = 73.6
|Nov avg record high F = 60.3
|Dec avg record high F = 50.0
|year avg record high F = 86.5

|Jan high F = 34.6
|Feb high F = 40.2
|Mar high F = 51.5
|Apr high F = 59.4
|May high F = 68.1
|Jun high F = 77.6
|Jul high F = 80.5
|Aug high F = 78.5
|Sep high F = 73.0
|Oct high F = 62.7
|Nov high F = 48.6
|Dec high F = 36.4
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 20.9
|Feb mean F = 26.6
|Mar mean F = 36.1
|Apr mean F = 43.3
|May mean F = 52.1
|Jun mean F = 60.6
|Jul mean F = 65.0
|Aug mean F = 63.5
|Sep mean F = 56.6
|Oct mean F = 46.2
|Nov mean F = 33.1
|Dec mean F = 22.6
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 7.2
|Feb low F = 12.9
|Mar low F = 20.6
|Apr low F = 27.3
|May low F = 36.1
|Jun low F = 43.6
|Jul low F = 49.6
|Aug low F = 48.5
|Sep low F = 40.2
|Oct low F = 29.7
|Nov low F = 17.6
|Dec low F = 8.9
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -8.0
|Feb avg record low F = -3.6
|Mar avg record low F = 4.9
|Apr avg record low F = 13.5
|May avg record low F = 23.2
|Jun avg record low F = 32.9
|Jul avg record low F = 41.5
|Aug avg record low F = 40.2
|Sep avg record low F = 27.9
|Oct avg record low F = 14.1
|Nov avg record low F = 0.9
|Dec avg record low F = -8.0
|year avg record low F = -11.9

|Jan record low F = -34
|Feb record low F = -24
|Mar record low F = -16
|Apr record low F = -4
|May record low F = 10
|Jun record low F = 22
|Jul record low F = 32
|Aug record low F = 30
|Sep record low F = 15
|Oct record low F = 2
|Nov record low F = -20
|Dec record low F = -26

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.36
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.39
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.72
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.79
|May precipitation inch = 0.80
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.60
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.50
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.66
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.06
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.81
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.48
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.51
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 3.4
|Feb precipitation days = 4.1
|Mar precipitation days = 5.1
|Apr precipitation days = 4.8
|May precipitation days = 5.7
|Jun precipitation days = 5.1
|Jul precipitation days = 10.8
|Aug precipitation days = 12.7
|Sep precipitation days = 7.6
|Oct precipitation days = 5.0
|Nov precipitation days = 3.7
|Dec precipitation days = 3.9

|Jan snow inch = 5.3
|Feb snow inch = 5.7
|Mar snow inch = 8.2
|Apr snow inch = 5.0
|May snow inch = 1.3
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 2.5
|Nov snow inch = 4.8
|Dec snow inch = 5.8
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 3.6
|Feb snow days = 4.0
|Mar snow days = 4.0
|Apr snow days = 2.4
|May snow days = 0.6
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 1.0
|Nov snow days = 2.8
|Dec snow days = 4.2

|Jan snow depth inch = 5.7
|Feb snow depth inch = 5.6
|Mar snow depth inch = 4.3
|Apr snow depth inch = 2.9
|May snow depth inch = 1.2
|Jun snow depth inch = 0.0
|Jul snow depth inch = 0.0
|Aug snow depth inch = 0.0
|Sep snow depth inch = 0.0
|Oct snow depth inch = 1.7
|Nov snow depth inch = 3.4
|Dec snow depth inch = 4.8
|year snow depth inch = 9.4

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00052184&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Del Norte 3ENE, CO
|access-date = August 9, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=pub
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Pueblo
|access-date = August 9, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}