Zip 87144 (Rio Rancho, NM) Climate

87144 Rio Rancho, NM enjoys a desert climate with hot summers and mild winters. Summers typically have daytime high temperatures in the 90s and nighttime lows in the mid-60s. Winters are mild, with high temperatures in the upper 50s and nighttime lows just above freezing. The area receives very little rainfall throughout the year, averaging only around nine inches annually, mostly during monsoon season from late July through early September. In addition to this low precipitation rate, 87144 Rio Rancho is also quite dry due to its location in the desert with humidity staying generally low year-round.

Rio Rancho (zip 87144), New Mexico gets 12 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Rio Rancho (zip 87144) averages 10 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 Rio Rancho (zip 87144). The US average is 205 sunny days.

Rio Rancho (zip 87144) gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 50 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 94 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 22
Rain: averages 12 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 10 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for the 87144 zip code is 7.7 (10=best), which means it is about average compared to other places in New Mexico.

7.8 Summer - 6.5 Winter

May, September and October are the most pleasant months in the 87144 zip code, while December and January are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Rio Rancho, New Mexico	United States
	Unlock	38.1 in.
	10.2 in.	Unlock
	Unlock	106.2 days
	278 days	Unlock
	93.6°	85.8°
	Unlock	21.7°
	7.7	Unlock
	Unlock	4.3
	5397 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 the 87144 zip code with an average high temperature of 93.6°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in New Mexico. In the 87144 zip code, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for the 87144 zip code are May, October and September.

In the 87144 zip code, there are 68.4 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in New Mexico.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for the 87144 zip code with an average of 21.5°. This is warmer than most places in New Mexico.

In the 87144 zip code, there are 126.7 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in New Mexico.

In the 87144 zip code, there are 0.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in New Mexico.

Humidity is low in the 87144 zip code, 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 the 87144 zip code with 2.0 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 0.5 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 38% of yearly precipitation and 15% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 12.0 inches in the 87144 zip code means that it is about average compared to other places in New Mexico.

August is the rainiest month in the 87144 zip code with 8.0 days of rain, and November is the driest month with only 2.7 rainy days. There are 50.2 rainy days annually in the 87144 zip code, which is less rainy than most places in New Mexico. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 36% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 19% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 10.2 inches in the 87144 zip code means that it is about average compared to other places in New Mexico. December is the snowiest month in the 87144 zip code with 2.9 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.

Reviews for Rio Rancho

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JIN · Loris, SC

This place is Not for a Median salary person.

Over 4 years ago

Everything looks good. There is a very safe place. But housing prices and utility bills are too high. The weather is crazy too windy and dust like a desert exactly. The More

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IDaveZ · Rio Rancho, NM

I love it here

Over 17 years ago

We have lived in Rio Rancho for the past 4 years. We relocated from Las Vegas NV. and we all simply love it here. We live near the 550 freeway as well as NM 528. We More