McKinley County, NM Climate


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McKinley County, NM enjoys a mild climate with sunny days and cool nights. Summers are warm, usually in the 70s and 80s with occasional thunderstorms. Winters are generally cold and dry with temperatures averaging in the 20s and 30s. Springtime brings beautiful wildflowers as far as the eye can see, while in fall the colors of autumn trees add a painted backdrop to the scenery. Seasons tend to be either wet or dry, but overall McKinley County sees an average of 10 inches of rain annually.

McKinley County, New Mexico gets 12 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

McKinley County averages 24 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 277 sunny days per year in McKinley County. The US average is 205 sunny days.

McKinley County gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 67 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 87 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 16
Rain: averages 12 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 24 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for McKinley County is 7.4 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in New Mexico.

8.7 Summer - 5.7 Winter
September, June and August are the most pleasant months in McKinley County, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateMcKinley, New MexicoUnited States
    Unlock38.1 in.
  24.0 in.  Unlock
    Unlock106.2 days
  277 days  Unlock
  87.0°85.8°
    Unlock21.7°
  7.4  Unlock
    Unlock4.3
  6948 ft.  Unlock
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for McKinley County with an average high temperature of 87.0°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in New Mexico. In McKinley County, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for McKinley County are September, May and June.
In McKinley County, there are 19.4 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in New Mexico.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for McKinley County with an average of 15.5°. This is colder than most places in New Mexico.
In McKinley County, there are 177.9 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most places in New Mexico.
In McKinley County, there are 4.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is colder than most places in New Mexico.
Humidity is low in McKinley County, and some people might find the dryness to be uncomfortable. Days with noticeable humidity are rare throughout the year. A very dry climate can lead to cracked, itchy skin and dry eyes.
August is the wettest month in McKinley County with 2.2 inches of rain, and the driest month is June with 0.5 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 37% of yearly precipitation and 16% occurs in Summer, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 12.2 inches in McKinley County means that it is about average compared to other places in New Mexico.
August is the rainiest month in McKinley County with 10.2 days of rain, and June is the driest month with only 3.0 rainy days. There are 66.8 rainy days annually in McKinley County, which is rainier than most places in New Mexico. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 34% of the time and the driest is Summer with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 24.0 inches in McKinley County means that it is snowier than most places in New Mexico. December is the snowiest month in McKinley County with 5.5 inches of snow, and 7 months of the year have significant snowfall.
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