Latitude

Colorado is positioned around the highest mountains of the Continental Divide. It is considered to be at a “mid-latitude” which means that it is found partially between the Equator and the Arctic Circle. Its northernmost border sits at 41o N and the southern border stretches down to 37o N. The width of the state spans from longitude 102o W to 109o W. Although Colorado is known for its mountains, nearly 40% of the area of Colorado is taken up by the Eastern high plains. Mountains and ranges extend North and South, approximately through the middle of the state.  The average statewide precipitation is 17 inches, which is much lower than the global mean of thirty-eight inches. There are large seasonal swings in temperature and large day-to-night changes.