Española, NM climate
Española has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Española feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Española 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 | 46° | 17° | 0.5" | 2.2" | 3 | 2 | 27° – 38° |
| February | 52° | 22° | 0.4" | 1.5" | 3 | 1 | 32° – 43° |
| March | 61° | 28° | 0.6" | 1.4" | 4 | 1 | 42° – 49° |
| April | 69° | 34° | 0.7" | 0.3" | 4 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| May | 78° | 42° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| June | 88° | 51° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| July | 90° | 58° | 1.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| August | 88° | 56° | 1.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| September | 82° | 48° | 1.1" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 70° | 35° | 1.1" | 0.6" | 5 | 0 | 49° – 56° |
| November | 57° | 25° | 0.6" | 1.4" | 3 | 1 | 33° – 47° |
| December | 46° | 18° | 0.6" | 3.3" | 3 | 3 | 26° – 36° |
| Year | 69° | 36° | 10.7" | 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 Española
Española gets 11 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 55 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 7 days of the year.
About 149 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 11 and the first one by October 6. That leaves about 149 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 82% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Española
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Española, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Española and its neighbors
Española borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Ohkay Owingeh has both the coldest January nights (17°) and the hottest July afternoons (90°). Española’s January low is 17° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Española 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 Española averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 68% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Española’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 33° to 47°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Española’s climate
What is the coldest month in Española?
January, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Española?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 58°. About 51 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Española get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Española?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 6, and the last spring frost by May 11.
What is the rainiest month in Española?
July, with 1.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 11 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Española itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Alcalde, NM (6 mi, snow) and Espanola, NM (1 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.