Chamisal, NM climate
Chamisal has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chamisal feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chamisal 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 | 42° | 16° | 1.0" | 2.2" | 3 | 2 | 23° – 35° |
| February | 45° | 20° | 0.9" | 1.5" | 3 | 1 | 27° – 38° |
| March | 53° | 25° | 0.9" | 1.4" | 4 | 1 | 35° – 44° |
| April | 61° | 31° | 0.8" | 0.3" | 4 | 0 | 42° – 50° |
| May | 70° | 39° | 1.0" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| June | 80° | 48° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| July | 82° | 53° | 2.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| August | 80° | 51° | 2.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| September | 74° | 44° | 1.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| October | 64° | 33° | 1.3" | 0.6" | 5 | 0 | 45° – 53° |
| November | 51° | 24° | 1.0" | 1.4" | 3 | 1 | 30° – 43° |
| December | 41° | 16° | 0.9" | 3.3" | 3 | 3 | 24° – 34° |
| Year | 62° | 33° | 15.3" | 10.7" | 55 | 7 |
“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 Chamisal
Chamisal gets 15 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 55 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 7 days of the year.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 10 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 145 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chamisal
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chamisal, 92% of that work is heating and 8% 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 Chamisal 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 Chamisal averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chamisal’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 30° to 43°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Chamisal’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chamisal?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Chamisal?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 53°. About 40 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chamisal get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Chamisal?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 10.
What is the rainiest month in Chamisal?
August, with 2.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 15 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chamisal itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Alcalde, NM (18 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.