Carrizozo, NM climate
Carrizozo has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Carrizozo feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Carrizozo 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 52° | 22° | 0.7" | 2.1" | 3 | 31° – 42° |
| February | 57° | 25° | 0.6" | 0.8" | 3 | 37° – 45° |
| March | 64° | 31° | 0.6" | 1.0" | 3 | 43° – 52° |
| April | 72° | 37° | 0.5" | 0 | 2 | 49° – 60° |
| May | 81° | 46° | 0.7" | 0 | 3 | 59° – 68° |
| June | 90° | 54° | 1.0" | 0 | 4 | 69° – 75° |
| July | 89° | 59° | 2.7" | 0 | 7 | 69° – 77° |
| August | 88° | 57° | 2.3" | 0 | 7 | 70° – 77° |
| September | 82° | 51° | 1.5" | 0 | 4 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 72° | 39° | 1.4" | 0.3" | 3 | 53° – 60° |
| November | 61° | 28° | 0.6" | 0.3" | 2 | 37° – 51° |
| December | 51° | 22° | 1.0" | 2.5" | 3 | 31° – 42° |
| Year | 71° | 39° | 13.5" | 7.0" | 44 |
“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 Carrizozo
Carrizozo gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 44 days a year.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 20. That leaves about 175 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Carrizozo
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Carrizozo, 81% of that work is heating and 19% 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 Carrizozo 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 Carrizozo averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Carrizozo’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 37° to 51°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Carrizozo’s climate
What is the coldest month in Carrizozo?
January, with a typical high of 52° and a low of 22°.
What is the hottest month in Carrizozo?
June, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 54°. About 64 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Carrizozo get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Carrizozo?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Carrizozo?
July, with 2.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Carrizozo itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Carrizozo 1sw, NM (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.