Carlsbad, NM climate
Carlsbad has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 97°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Carlsbad feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Carlsbad 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 | 59° | 29° | 0.5" | 1.0" | 3 | 0 | 39° – 49° |
| February | 64° | 33° | 0.5" | 0.4" | 3 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| March | 72° | 40° | 0.5" | 0.1" | 3 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| April | 81° | 47° | 0.5" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| May | 89° | 56° | 1.1" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 68° – 78° |
| June | 97° | 65° | 1.2" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 78° – 85° |
| July | 97° | 69° | 2.0" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 78° – 88° |
| August | 96° | 68° | 1.8" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 79° – 88° |
| September | 88° | 60° | 2.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 69° – 80° |
| October | 79° | 48° | 1.2" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| November | 68° | 37° | 0.6" | 0.5" | 3 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| December | 59° | 30° | 0.6" | 0.7" | 3 | 1 | 39° – 48° |
| Year | 79° | 49° | 12.5" | 2.7" | 46 | 1 |
“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 Carlsbad
Carlsbad gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 46 days a year.
About 238 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 17 and the first one by November 12. That leaves about 238 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Carlsbad
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Carlsbad, 52% of that work is heating and 48% is cooling.
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.
Carlsbad and its neighbors
Carlsbad borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. La Huerta has the coldest January nights (29°) and Livingston Wheeler the hottest July afternoons (97°). Carlsbad’s January low is 29° and its July high 97°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Carlsbad 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 Carlsbad averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Carlsbad’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 46° to 57°. October is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Carlsbad’s climate
What is the coldest month in Carlsbad?
January, with a typical high of 59° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Carlsbad?
June, with a typical high of 97° and a low of 65°. About 119 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Carlsbad get?
About 3 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Carlsbad?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 12, and the last spring frost by March 17.
What is the rainiest month in Carlsbad?
September, with 2.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Carlsbad itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Carlsbad, NM (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.