New Mexico Climate

New Mexico State has a unique and diverse climate with hot and dry deserts in the southern parts of the state, alpine forests in the northern region, and mild temperatures near the center. During summer months, temperatures can range from hot and dry days to cooler nights in the north. Winters are milder with occasional snowfall coming down from the mountains. Springtime brings thunderstorms and rain to many areas of New Mexico State while fall is usually characterized by warm temperatures. All in all, New Mexico State's climate offers something for everyone!

New Mexico, New Mexico gets 15 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

New Mexico averages 24 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 278 sunny days per year in New Mexico. The US average is 205 sunny days.

New Mexico gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 60 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 88 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 20
Rain: averages 15 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 24 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

New Mexico's annual BestPlaces Comfort Index of 7.6 (10=best) indicates it is one of the most pleasant states in the United States.

8.3 Summer - 6.3 Winter

September, May and October are the most pleasant months in the state of New Mexico, while December and January are the least comfortable months.

Climate	New Mexico, New Mexico	United States
	Unlock	38.1 in.
	23.6 in.	Unlock
	Unlock	106.2 days
	278 days	Unlock
	88.3°	85.8°
	Unlock	21.7°
	7.6	Unlock
	Unlock	4.3
	5753 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 New Mexico with an average high temperature of 88.3°, which ranks it as warmer than most states. In New Mexico, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for New Mexico are May, September and August.

New Mexico has 42.1 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most states in the U.S.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for New Mexico with an average of 19.7°. This is about average compared to other of the U.S. states.

New Mexico has 142.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most states in the U.S.

New Mexico averages 3.2 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other states in the U.S.

Humidity is low in the state of New Mexico, 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 New Mexico with 2.6 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 0.7 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 42% of yearly precipitation and 15% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. New Mexico's average annual rainfall of 14.6 inches indicates that it is one of the driest states in the United States.

August is the rainiest month in New Mexico with 9.5 days of rain, and April is the driest month with only 3.4 rainy days. New Mexico's annual average of 60.1 days with measurable rain is one of the least rainy states in the United States. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 38% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 19% chance of a rainy day.

New Mexico's average annual snowfall of 23.6 inches indicates that it is less snowy than most states in the United States. December is the snowiest month in New Mexico with 5.3 inches of snow, and 7 months of the year have significant snowfall.

Reviews for New Mexico

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Amanda · Albuquerque, NM

I wish I could love it more

Over 3 years ago

I moved here from South Florida and it's been about 6 years that I've lived in Albuquerque. I work all over the state and travel very regularly, so I believe I have a More

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veronica · Alamogordo, NM

back in time.

Over 8 years ago

I m a native of northern california. I came to New Mexico with my companion of many years, due to illness he was forced into an early retirement. He was born and raised More