Thunder Mountain, NM climate
Thunder Mountain has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Thunder Mountain feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Thunder Mountain 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 18° | 0.7" | 5.6" | 5 | 25° – 36° |
| February | 49° | 22° | 0.6" | 2.5" | 4 | 30° – 40° |
| March | 57° | 27° | 0.8" | 6.2" | 5 | 38° – 47° |
| April | 65° | 32° | 0.7" | 1.2" | 4 | 44° – 53° |
| May | 74° | 41° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 53° – 63° |
| June | 85° | 49° | 1.0" | 0 | 4 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 86° | 55° | 2.6" | 0 | 10 | 67° – 74° |
| August | 83° | 53° | 2.5" | 0 | 9 | 66° – 72° |
| September | 77° | 46° | 1.5" | 0 | 6 | 56° – 65° |
| October | 66° | 35° | 1.3" | 1.1" | 5 | 48° – 55° |
| November | 53° | 25° | 0.7" | 3.9" | 4 | 32° – 46° |
| December | 44° | 18° | 1.0" | 8.1" | 5 | 25° – 36° |
| Year | 65° | 35° | 14.3" | 28.6" | 62 |
“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 Thunder Mountain
Thunder Mountain 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 62 days a year.
About 152 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first one by October 9. That leaves about 152 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 79% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Thunder Mountain
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Thunder Mountain, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
Thunder Mountain and its neighbors
Thunder Mountain borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. Edgewood has both the coldest January nights (19°) and the hottest July afternoons (85°). Thunder Mountain’s January low is 18° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Thunder Mountain 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 Thunder Mountain averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Thunder Mountain’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°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Thunder Mountain’s climate
What is the coldest month in Thunder Mountain?
December, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Thunder Mountain?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 55°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Thunder Mountain get?
About 29 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Thunder Mountain?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by May 9.
What is the rainiest month in Thunder Mountain?
July, with 2.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Thunder Mountain itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Golden, NM (12 mi, snow) and Sandia Park, NM (11 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.