What is the weather usually like for the Leadville 100?
Short answer: plan for everything. Across the last 16 third Saturdays of August in Leadville, the average high was about 67°F and the average overnight low about 41°F, but the range runs from a 72°F scorcher (2020) to a 57°F soaker with three-quarters of an inch of rain (2022). Some precipitation fell on 12 of the 16 days, usually just a passing shower. Overnight lows dipped into the mid 30s°F in several years, and that's in town at 10,152 ft. On the high passes it is routinely 10 to 15 degrees colder with far stronger wind.
The Leadville Trail 100 events are traditionally held on mid-August weekends (in 2026, the MTB on August 15 and the Run on August 22). The table below shows town-level weather for the third Saturday of each August since 2010, from public NOAA/ERA5 reanalysis data. It is the closest thing to a "typical race day" record you can get without a crystal ball.
Third Saturday of August in Leadville, 2010 to 2025
| Date | High | Low | Precip | Max gust | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-08-21 | 70.1°F | 46.7°F | 0" | 21 mph | Overcast |
| 2011-08-20 | 69.7°F | 39.6°F | 0" | 16.1 mph | Light drizzle |
| 2012-08-18 | 67.4°F | 44.6°F | 0.01" | 28 mph | Light drizzle |
| 2013-08-17 | 69.5°F | 45.6°F | 0.02" | 22.1 mph | Drizzle |
| 2014-08-16 | 66.3°F | 42.5°F | 0.04" | 21.3 mph | Light drizzle |
| 2015-08-15 | 72.2°F | 44.6°F | 0.02" | 24.2 mph | Light drizzle |
| 2016-08-20 | 65°F | 40.4°F | 0.1" | 31.5 mph | Light rain |
| 2017-08-19 | 63.7°F | 37.5°F | 0.02" | 25.9 mph | Drizzle |
| 2018-08-18 | 63.2°F | 42.8°F | 0.01" | 33.8 mph | Light drizzle |
| 2019-08-17 | 66.1°F | 37.9°F | 0.01" | 36.7 mph | Light drizzle |
| 2020-08-15 | 72.4°F | 39.2°F | 0" | 24.4 mph | Partly cloudy |
| 2021-08-21 | 59.9°F | 37.3°F | 0.09" | 25.5 mph | Drizzle |
| 2022-08-20 | 56.9°F | 40°F | 0.78" | 20.6 mph | Rain |
| 2023-08-19 | 72.1°F | 41.7°F | 0" | 26.4 mph | Overcast |
| 2024-08-17 | 71.8°F | 35.8°F | 0" | 16.1 mph | Overcast |
| 2025-08-16 | 63.7°F | 40.6°F | 0.01" | 23 mph | Light drizzle |
Source: ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, modeled at Leadville's town coordinates and elevation. Reanalysis smooths local extremes, so actual station readings on any given day can differ. Sky is the dominant daily weather condition.
What this means if you're racing or crewing
Three patterns show up in this table. First, mornings are cold: a 4 AM start under a 35 to 45°F sky is the norm, and hypothermia DNFs at Leadville are historically more common than heat problems. Second, some rain falls more Augusts than not, typically as brief afternoon showers rather than all-day events, but 2022 shows the exception that catches people out. Third, wind gusts of 20 to 35 mph appear in most years, and what registers as 25 mph in town is far worse on Sugarloaf or Hope Pass. Layers, real rain gear in drop bags, and a warm-clothes plan for your crew stops cover the realistic range.
For today's actual conditions and this week's forecast, see the live dashboard. For how the altitude itself will treat you, start with the acclimatization guide.