Shiprock, NM climate
Shiprock has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 95°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Shiprock feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shiprock 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 | 45° | 21° | 0.6" | 2.2" | 5 | 3 | 25° – 39° |
| February | 52° | 25° | 0.5" | 2.0" | 5 | 2 | 34° – 44° |
| March | 62° | 31° | 0.5" | 0.9" | 5 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| April | 70° | 37° | 0.4" | 0.3" | 4 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| May | 80° | 46° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| June | 91° | 55° | 0.2" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| July | 95° | 63° | 0.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 75° – 83° |
| August | 92° | 61° | 0.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| September | 84° | 52° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| October | 72° | 39° | 0.7" | 0.5" | 6 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| November | 57° | 28° | 0.5" | 0.7" | 5 | 0 | 35° – 50° |
| December | 44° | 20° | 0.7" | 2.0" | 5 | 2 | 26° – 39° |
| Year | 70° | 40° | 7.2" | 8.6" | 62 | 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 Shiprock
Shiprock gets 7 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 62 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 7 days of the year.
About 167 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 167 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Shiprock
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shiprock, 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 Shiprock 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 Shiprock averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shiprock’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 35° to 50°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Shiprock’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shiprock?
December, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Shiprock?
July, with a typical high of 95° and a low of 63°. About 50 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shiprock get?
About 9 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Shiprock?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Shiprock?
September, with 0.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 7 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shiprock itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Farmington Ag Sci Cnt, NM (22 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.