Terlingua, TX climate
Terlingua has mild winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 101°, a January night drops to 35°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Terlingua feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Terlingua 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 | 68° | 35° | 0.4" | 0.1" | 2 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| February | 74° | 40° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| March | 82° | 47° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| April | 91° | 54° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| May | 98° | 65° | 1.0" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 76° – 87° |
| June | 103° | 73° | 1.3" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 85° – 92° |
| July | 101° | 74° | 1.8" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 83° – 91° |
| August | 100° | 73° | 1.7" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 83° – 92° |
| September | 94° | 67° | 1.3" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 75° – 85° |
| October | 88° | 56° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 70° – 76° |
| November | 76° | 43° | 0.6" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| December | 68° | 36° | 0.3" | 0.4" | 2 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| Year | 87° | 55° | 10.0" | 0.5" | 38 | 0 |
“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 Terlingua
Terlingua gets 10 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and March the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 38 days a year.
About 264 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 4 and the first one by November 26. That leaves about 264 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 92% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Terlingua
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Terlingua, 30% of that work is heating and 70% is cooling, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
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 Terlingua 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 Terlingua averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.9°). The shift is larger than in 76% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Terlingua’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. May swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 76° to 87°. October is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Terlingua’s climate
What is the coldest month in Terlingua?
January, with a typical high of 68° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Terlingua?
June, with a typical high of 103° and a low of 73°. About 188 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Terlingua get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.5 inches.
When is the first frost in Terlingua?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 26, and the last spring frost by March 4.
What is the rainiest month in Terlingua?
July, with 1.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 10 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Terlingua itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lajitas, TX (11 mi, snow) and Terlingua, TX (4 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.