Weather in Cataract Canyon
This Weeks Forecast
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
Canyons tend to make their own weather patterns, so always, always, always bring rain gear! Even if these numbers seem underwhelming.
AVERAGE RAINFALL
(Referenced from Canyonlands National Park)
MARCH: 0.7 INCHES
APRIL: 0.7 INCHES
MAY: 0.8 INCHES
JUNE: 0.4 INCHES
JULY: 1.0 INCHES
AUGUST: 1.0 INCHES
SEPTEMBER: 0.9 INCHES
October: 1.2 INCHES
RAPIDS & WATER LEVELS IN CAtaract CANYON
Average Water Levels
During the rafting season from March to October, the Colorado River’s water levels typically range between 1,000 – 50,000 CFS. Higher flows usually start in May and trickle down thereafter.
CFS stands for “cubic feet per second.” One cubic foot is about the size of a basketball. So if the Yampa is flowing at 1,000 CFS, imagine standing on the side of the river, watching 1,000 basketballs bounce past you every second.
If you’d like to explore the Colorado River’s water levels near Cataract Canyon, visit this page of USGS.
Rapids
If your trip occurs during a period of high flows, you can expect a lot of class IV and V rapids with class III mixed in. High flows in Cataract Canyon are considered over 30,000 CFS.
If your trip is during a period of low flow, you can still expect big drop class III and IV rapids. Low flows can be considered below 8,000 CFS.
For trips taking place with medium flow rate, expect a mix of both, naturally! Between 9,000 and 30,000 CFS.