Continental Divide, NM climate
Continental Divide has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Continental Divide feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Continental Divide 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 | 43° | 16° | 0.9" | 9.0" | 5 | 24° – 35° |
| February | 47° | 20° | 0.7" | 8.7" | 6 | 28° – 39° |
| March | 55° | 25° | 0.6" | 6.6" | 5 | 35° – 45° |
| April | 63° | 30° | 0.5" | 2.4" | 3 | 42° – 52° |
| May | 72° | 38° | 0.6" | 0.2" | 3 | 51° – 59° |
| June | 84° | 48° | 0.5" | 0 | 2 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 86° | 54° | 2.0" | 0 | 9 | 66° – 74° |
| August | 83° | 52° | 2.1" | 0 | 10 | 65° – 71° |
| September | 77° | 45° | 1.3" | 0 | 6 | 56° – 64° |
| October | 66° | 33° | 0.9" | 2.5" | 4 | 46° – 55° |
| November | 54° | 23° | 0.7" | 2.6" | 4 | 31° – 45° |
| December | 43° | 16° | 0.8" | 10.1" | 4 | 24° – 36° |
| Year | 64° | 33° | 11.5" | 42.1" | 61 |
“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 Continental Divide
Continental Divide gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 61 days a year.
About 109 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 5 and the first one by September 25. That leaves about 109 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Continental Divide
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Continental Divide, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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 Continental Divide 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 Continental Divide averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Continental Divide’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 31° to 45°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Continental Divide’s climate
What is the coldest month in Continental Divide?
December, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Continental Divide?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 54°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Continental Divide get?
About 42 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Continental Divide?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 25, and the last spring frost by June 5.
What is the rainiest month in Continental Divide?
August, with 2.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Continental Divide itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Mcgaffey 5 Se, NM (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.