Capitan, NM climate
Capitan has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 27 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Capitan feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Capitan 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 | 50° | 21° | 0.6" | 6.1" | 4 | 4 | 31° – 40° |
| February | 54° | 24° | 0.6" | 3.6" | 3 | 1 | 34° – 43° |
| March | 61° | 28° | 0.6" | 5.3" | 3 | 1 | 41° – 49° |
| April | 68° | 34° | 0.5" | 1.1" | 3 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| May | 76° | 42° | 0.9" | 0.1" | 3 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| June | 85° | 50° | 1.3" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 65° – 71° |
| July | 85° | 55° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| August | 83° | 53° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 72° |
| September | 78° | 47° | 2.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| October | 69° | 36° | 1.4" | 1.0" | 4 | 0 | 50° – 57° |
| November | 58° | 26° | 0.6" | 1.4" | 2 | 1 | 35° – 48° |
| December | 50° | 21° | 1.0" | 8.7" | 4 | 5 | 30° – 41° |
| Year | 68° | 36° | 16.0" | 27.3" | 60 | 12 |
“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 Capitan
Capitan 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 60 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 12 days of the year.
About 161 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 161 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 70% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Capitan
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Capitan, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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 Capitan 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 Capitan averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Capitan’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 35° to 48°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Capitan’s climate
What is the coldest month in Capitan?
January, with a typical high of 50° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Capitan?
June, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 50°. About 16 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Capitan get?
About 27 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Capitan?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by May 3.
What is the rainiest month in Capitan?
July, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 16 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Capitan itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Capitan, NM (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.