North Light Plant, NM climate
North Light Plant has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, 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 North Light Plant feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
North Light Plant 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 | 42° | 17° | 0.9" | 4.5" | 6 | 3 | 23° – 36° |
| February | 49° | 22° | 0.8" | 2.3" | 5 | 2 | 31° – 41° |
| March | 59° | 28° | 0.8" | 0.5" | 4 | 0 | 40° – 49° |
| April | 66° | 34° | 0.7" | 0.2" | 4 | 0 | 46° – 55° |
| May | 76° | 42° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| June | 88° | 51° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| July | 92° | 59° | 0.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| August | 89° | 58° | 1.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 81° | 49° | 1.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| October | 68° | 37° | 1.0" | 0.3" | 5 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| November | 54° | 26° | 0.8" | 0.9" | 4 | 1 | 34° – 47° |
| December | 42° | 19° | 0.8" | 2.2" | 5 | 3 | 24° – 36° |
| Year | 67° | 37° | 9.9" | 10.9" | 57 | 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 North Light Plant
North Light Plant gets 10 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 57 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 9 days of the year.
About 147 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first one by October 6. That leaves about 147 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 83% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in North Light Plant
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In North Light Plant, 85% of that work is heating and 15% 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 North Light Plant 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 North Light Plant averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at North Light Plant’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°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about North Light Plant’s climate
What is the coldest month in North Light Plant?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in North Light Plant?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 59°. About 61 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does North Light Plant get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in North Light Plant?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 6, and the last spring frost by May 12.
What is the rainiest month in North Light Plant?
August, with 1.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 10 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for North Light Plant itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Aztec Ruins Nm, NM (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.