La Cienega, NM climate
La Cienega has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 20 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in La Cienega feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
La Cienega 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° | 19° | 0.6" | 3.7" | 3 | 3 | 26° – 38° |
| February | 51° | 23° | 0.5" | 2.4" | 4 | 2 | 32° – 43° |
| March | 60° | 28° | 0.8" | 3.9" | 4 | 1 | 40° – 49° |
| April | 67° | 34° | 0.6" | 0.4" | 4 | 0 | 47° – 56° |
| May | 77° | 43° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| June | 88° | 52° | 0.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| July | 89° | 58° | 2.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| August | 87° | 56° | 2.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| September | 81° | 49° | 1.4" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| October | 69° | 37° | 1.3" | 1.3" | 5 | 0 | 50° – 57° |
| November | 55° | 26° | 0.8" | 1.7" | 4 | 1 | 34° – 47° |
| December | 45° | 19° | 0.9" | 6.8" | 4 | 3 | 27° – 36° |
| Year | 68° | 37° | 12.9" | 20.2" | 64 | 9 |
“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 La Cienega
La Cienega gets 13 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 64 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 9 days of the year.
About 164 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 4 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in La Cienega
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In La Cienega, 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.
La Cienega and its neighbors
La Cienega borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.3°. Santa Fe has both the coldest January nights (18°) and the hottest July afternoons (86°). La Cienega’s January low is 19° and its July high 89°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How La Cienega 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 La Cienega averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 56% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at La Cienega’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 34° to 47°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about La Cienega’s climate
What is the coldest month in La Cienega?
December, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in La Cienega?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 58°. About 41 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does La Cienega get?
About 20 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in La Cienega?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by May 4.
What is the rainiest month in La Cienega?
August, with 2.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 13 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for La Cienega itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Santa Fe 2, NM (8 mi, snow) and Santa Fe Co Municipal Airport, NM (3 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.