Alma, NM climate
Alma has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Alma feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Alma weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 57° | 23° | 1.2" | 0.9" | 4 | 0 | 35° – 45° |
| February | 61° | 26° | 1.2" | 0.4" | 4 | 0 | 39° – 49° |
| March | 67° | 30° | 0.9" | 0.2" | 4 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| April | 74° | 35° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| May | 82° | 42° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| June | 92° | 51° | 0.5" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 92° | 58° | 2.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| August | 89° | 58° | 2.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| September | 86° | 51° | 1.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| October | 76° | 39° | 1.2" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 55° – 62° |
| November | 65° | 28° | 1.0" | 0.1" | 3 | 0 | 39° – 56° |
| December | 56° | 23° | 1.3" | 0.2" | 5 | 0 | 34° – 44° |
| Year | 75° | 39° | 15.6" | 1.8" | 55 | 0 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Alma
Alma gets 16 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 55 days a year.
About 164 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first one by October 18. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Alma
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Alma, 82% of that work is heating and 18% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Alma compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Alma averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°). The shift is larger than in 53% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Alma’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. November swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 39° to 56°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Alma’s climate
What is the coldest month in Alma?
December, with a typical high of 56° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Alma?
June, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 51°. About 65 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Alma get?
About 2 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Alma?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 18, and the last spring frost by May 6.
What is the rainiest month in Alma?
July, with 2.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 16 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Alma itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Glenwood, NM (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.