Rio Rancho, NM climate
Rio Rancho has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 8 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Rio Rancho feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rio Rancho 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° | 22° | 0.5" | 1.7" | 3 | 1 | 30° – 41° |
| February | 55° | 27° | 0.5" | 0.9" | 3 | 0 | 36° – 46° |
| March | 63° | 32° | 0.6" | 0.7" | 3 | 0 | 44° – 53° |
| April | 71° | 38° | 0.6" | 0.1" | 3 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| May | 80° | 47° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| June | 91° | 56° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| July | 92° | 62° | 1.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 74° – 81° |
| August | 90° | 60° | 1.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| September | 83° | 52° | 1.2" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| October | 72° | 40° | 1.0" | 0.6" | 4 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| November | 58° | 29° | 0.7" | 0.8" | 3 | 0 | 37° – 50° |
| December | 48° | 22° | 0.7" | 2.9" | 3 | 1 | 31° – 40° |
| Year | 71° | 41° | 10.0" | 7.7" | 49 | 3 |
“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 Rancho
Rio Rancho gets 10 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 49 days a year.
About 173 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first one by October 17. That leaves about 173 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 57% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Rio Rancho
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rio Rancho, 82% of that work is heating and 18% 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.
Rio Rancho and its neighbors
Rio Rancho borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.6°. Bernalillo has the coldest January nights (21°) and Albuquerque the hottest July afternoons (94°). Rio Rancho’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 Rio Rancho 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 Rancho averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rio Rancho’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 50°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Rio Rancho’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rio Rancho?
December, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 22°.
What is the hottest month in Rio Rancho?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 62°. About 67 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rio Rancho get?
About 8 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Rio Rancho?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 17, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Rio Rancho?
August, with 1.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 10 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rio Rancho itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Corrales, NM (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.