Kirtland AFB, NM climate
Kirtland AFB has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Kirtland AFB feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Kirtland AFB 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 | 50° | 22° | 0.5" | 1.6" | 4 | 30° – 41° |
| February | 55° | 26° | 0.5" | 3.3" | 3 | 36° – 45° |
| March | 64° | 32° | 0.6" | 0.7" | 4 | 44° – 53° |
| April | 71° | 38° | 0.6" | 0.3" | 4 | 50° – 59° |
| May | 81° | 46° | 0.5" | 0 | 5 | 59° – 68° |
| June | 91° | 55° | 0.6" | 0 | 3 | 69° – 77° |
| July | 92° | 61° | 1.9" | 0 | 10 | 74° – 81° |
| August | 90° | 60° | 1.8" | 0 | 9 | 72° – 78° |
| September | 83° | 52° | 1.2" | 0 | 6 | 62° – 72° |
| October | 72° | 40° | 1.0" | 0.6" | 5 | 53° – 61° |
| November | 59° | 29° | 0.7" | 0.9" | 3 | 37° – 51° |
| December | 49° | 21° | 0.7" | 4.7" | 5 | 31° – 40° |
| Year | 71° | 40° | 10.6" | 12.1" | 62 |
“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 Kirtland AFB
Kirtland AFB gets 11 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 62 days a year.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 18 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 189 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Kirtland AFB
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Kirtland AFB, 77% of that work is heating and 23% 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.
Kirtland AFB and its neighbors
Kirtland AFB borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.1°. Albuquerque has both the coldest January nights (22°) and the hottest July afternoons (94°). Kirtland AFB’s January low is 22° and its July high 92°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Kirtland AFB 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 Kirtland AFB averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.2°). The shift is larger than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Kirtland AFB’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°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Kirtland AFB’s climate
What is the coldest month in Kirtland AFB?
December, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Kirtland AFB?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 61°. About 69 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Kirtland AFB get?
About 12 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Kirtland AFB?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 18.
What is the rainiest month in Kirtland AFB?
July, with 1.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 11 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Kirtland AFB itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Albuquerque 4.6 E, NM (6 mi, snow) and Albuquerque Valley, NM (8 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.