Mescalero, NM climate
Mescalero has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Mescalero feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mescalero 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 | 49° | 25° | 1.1" | 3.9" | 4 | 2 | 33° – 42° |
| February | 53° | 28° | 1.0" | 4.2" | 4 | 2 | 36° – 45° |
| March | 59° | 32° | 0.9" | 2.4" | 4 | 1 | 42° – 51° |
| April | 67° | 37° | 0.6" | 0.7" | 2 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| May | 75° | 44° | 0.9" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| June | 84° | 53° | 1.2" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| July | 83° | 57° | 3.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| August | 81° | 56° | 3.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 72° |
| September | 76° | 51° | 2.1" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 68° | 42° | 1.6" | 1.1" | 4 | 0 | 52° – 59° |
| November | 57° | 32° | 1.0" | 1.0" | 3 | 0 | 38° – 50° |
| December | 49° | 26° | 1.2" | 4.0" | 4 | 4 | 33° – 44° |
| Year | 67° | 40° | 18.0" | 17.3" | 60 | 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 Mescalero
Mescalero gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 60 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 9 days of the year.
About 173 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 173 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 57% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Mescalero
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Mescalero, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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 Mescalero 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 Mescalero averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Mescalero’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 38° to 50°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Mescalero’s climate
What is the coldest month in Mescalero?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Mescalero?
June, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 53°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Mescalero get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Mescalero?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Mescalero?
July, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Mescalero itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Mtn Park, NM (13 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.