Rio Chiquito, NM climate
Rio Chiquito has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Rio Chiquito feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rio Chiquito 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 | 44° | 19° | 0.8" | 2.2" | 3 | 2 | 27° – 37° |
| February | 48° | 23° | 0.6" | 1.5" | 3 | 1 | 30° – 41° |
| March | 57° | 28° | 0.8" | 1.4" | 4 | 1 | 39° – 47° |
| April | 64° | 34° | 0.7" | 0.3" | 4 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| May | 73° | 42° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| June | 84° | 51° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 86° | 57° | 2.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| August | 83° | 55° | 2.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| September | 77° | 48° | 1.4" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| October | 66° | 36° | 1.3" | 0.6" | 5 | 0 | 48° – 55° |
| November | 53° | 26° | 0.9" | 1.4" | 3 | 1 | 32° – 46° |
| December | 43° | 19° | 0.9" | 3.3" | 3 | 3 | 26° – 35° |
| Year | 65° | 36° | 13.5" | 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 Rio Chiquito
Rio Chiquito gets 14 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 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 10 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 145 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Rio Chiquito
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rio Chiquito, 92% of that work is heating and 8% 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 Rio Chiquito 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 Rio Chiquito averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 69% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rio Chiquito’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 32° to 46°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Rio Chiquito’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rio Chiquito?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Rio Chiquito?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 57°. About 40 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rio Chiquito get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Rio Chiquito?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 10.
What is the rainiest month in Rio Chiquito?
July, with 2.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rio Chiquito itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Alcalde, NM (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.