Albuquerque Valley, NM Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Temperature and precipitation from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →, plus PlainClimate's derived comfort score
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Albuquerque Valley's primary NOAA station, ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.
The climate verdict for Albuquerque Valley
Dryness leads the climate profile for Albuquerque Valley, New Mexico, with 9.7 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA records an annual average of 57°F. Its climate comfort score of 58/100 (moderate) lands mid-pack nationally, exceeding 37% of station-mapped location scores.
- 57°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 58/100
- comfort score, above 37% of station-mapped location scores
- 9.7"
- annual precipitation · 7" snow
- 189 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Albuquerque Valley: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USC00290231 · Albuquerque Valley, NM 57°F mean · 9.7" precip
TEMP-MILD · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-ARID · SWING-MID · COMF-MID · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-MILD 57°F
- RANK-UPPER #4,528
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ London Corbin
- PRCP-ARID 9.7"
- SWING-MID 42°F
- COMF-MID 58/100
- LOAD-HEAT 4,155 HDD
- STN-1 USC00290231
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: London Corbin, KY (+ 0 °F mean)
Instrument codes from this station's NOAA 1991–2020 normals, mean temperature, corpus warmth rank, photo-finish peer station, precipitation band, seasonal swing, comfort composite, degree-day load, and field book, not a livability rating.
Mean-temperature neighbourhood
Nationwide NOAA normal poles and nearest peers, not a reprint of every NM station list.
- Albuquerque Val… (this station) 57°F
- Hot Scottsville, KY 57°F
- Near London Corbin, KY 57°F
- Near Smithville, TN 57°F
- Near Summer Shade, KY 57°F
Climate Living Index · Albuquerque Valley
Albuquerque Valley: 41/100 · grade D
Albuquerque Valley publishes 5 of 6 Living Index dimensions (NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals); 1 missing weight rescale to 100.
PlainClimate-derived for Albuquerque Valley, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 58/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Snowfall burden | 6.8 inches/year | 68/100 · C |
| Annual temperature balance | 56.9°F · 10.6° from 67.5°F | 66/100 · C |
| Frost-free season | 189 days/year | 56/100 · C |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 196 calendar days | 16/100 · F |
| Precipitation balance | 9.7 in · 25.3 from 35 in | 11/100 · F |
Albuquerque Valley · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Albuquerque Valley's normals sit in a dry climate class: BSk
Precipitation is low relative to temperature but above true desert thresholds: cold semi-arid steppe (BSk). Class BSk is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: dry (arid or semi-arid), specifically cold semi-arid steppe.
- Köppen code
- BSk
- Group
- Dry (arid or semi-arid)
- Warmest month
- 78.0°F
- Coldest month
- 36.1°F
Source: official public datasets monthly normals (1991–2020) at the city’s primary station. This is a station classification, not a mapped regional consensus.
National standing · heating-led station
Where Albuquerque Valley sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Albuquerque Valley's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 66th percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- Drier than 94%
- Albuquerque Valley's annual total ranks in the drier third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- 44th percentile swing
- Typical seasonal amplitude versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Albuquerque Valley compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Albuquerque Valley's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
58 37th percentile score exceeds 37% of 6,189 station-mapped location scores
- 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
- 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Below this entry.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). This entry sits in this band.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Above this entry.
- 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Above this entry.
- 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry.
- 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51°F (11°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 0.5" | 1.4" | 28.8 | 0.0 |
| February | 57°F (14°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 0.5" | 1.3" | 22.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 66°F (19°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 0.5" | 0.6" | 15.5 | 0.0 |
| April | 72°F (22°C) | 40°F (5°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 0.6" | 0.3" | 4.5 | 0.0 |
| May | 81°F (27°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.5" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 3.2 |
| June | 91°F (33°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 19.0 |
| July | 93°F (34°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 1.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 23.5 |
| August | 90°F (32°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 1.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 18.3 |
| September | 83°F (29°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 1.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.3 |
| October | 72°F (22°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.0" | 0.3" | 3.9 | 0.0 |
| November | 60°F (15°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 0.6" | 0.6" | 21.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 50°F (10°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 0.7" | 2.3" | 28.8 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Albuquerque Valley works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 93°F by July 2 and hold at or above 90°F on 71 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 125 dates, bottoming at 21°F around January 1.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from June 10 through August 19, covering 71 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs April 3 to October 21.
This counts calendar dates whose 1991–2020 normal high reaches 90°F. It is a smaller number than the 90°F+ day counts in the monthly table above, which measure how often the threshold was actually crossed in a typical year. A date can average 88°F and still exceed 90°F in half of all years.
The freezing stretch
The normal low stays at or below 32°F into March 11, then returns to freezing around November 8, covering 125 dates in all.
Derived from the normal daily minimum. This is a different measure from the 50%-probability frost dates shown elsewhere on this page, which come from NOAA’s frost product.
Where the wet dates fall
The likeliest wet date is August 3, when 31% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is April 20 at 10%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 56 wet dates a year.
The widest day
June 7 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 35°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Albuquerque Valley.
Where Albuquerque Valley Stands Nationally
Aridity defines the water calendar: about 10 inches in a normal year lands this among the driest tenth of ranked stations.
Heat is a defining feature of the normals calendar — the normal daily high reaches 90°F on roughly 71 days a year, more than four out of five ranked stations record.
Albuquerque Valley earns 2 nationally notable standings (outer quintiles) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations; only those extremes render.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
Snow: 1.4"
3.9 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.3"
3.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.6"
3.7 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.3"
3.0 days with precipitation
3.6 days with precipitation
3.6 days with precipitation
8.5 days with precipitation
8.9 days with precipitation
5.8 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.3"
4.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.6"
2.9 days with precipitation
Snow: 2.3"
4.1 days with precipitation
Albuquerque Valley runs a summer-peaked wet season
37% of Albuquerque Valley's yearly precipitation falls in June, July and August alone, against the 25% an evenly spread year would give those three months. The wettest month is July at 1.5", on a 41.9°F seasonal spread. Warm-season convection and, across the Southwest, the North American monsoon produce this shape: rain arrives in short heavy bursts during the hottest part of the year rather than as long cool-season soaking.
- Wettest three months: July, August, September, taking 45% of the annual total between them.
- Driest month: January at 0.5".
- Winter share: 16% falls in December, January and February.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. A summer-peaked label means the June-August share reaches 35%; it describes timing across an average year, not any single season, and says nothing about how heavy an individual storm can be.
Albuquerque Valley is dry, and what does fall arrives gently
Only about 56 days a year record measurable precipitation here, 15% of the calendar, and they carry 9.7" between them. At roughly 0.17 inches on an average wet day, this is not the damp drizzle of a marine climate; it is an arid record in which precipitation is both uncommon and light when it appears.
The wettest month by count is August at about 9 wet days; the driest is November at about 3.
A low per-event average in a dry record is a statement about typical days only. Arid regions can still take a large share of a year's total from a single convective storm, which a normal cannot show.
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year, not the extremes within it.
Snow reaches Albuquerque Valley, but rarely amounts to much
The normals record 6.8 inches of snow a year here, most likely in December. That is a real but marginal amount: enough that snow is part of the local record, not enough to define the winter.
A figure in this range usually reflects a handful of events that melt quickly rather than a season of accumulation; about 5 days a year record any measurable snow at all.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. An average across thirty years can smooth away a single heavy winter, so a small annual figure does not mean a significant snowfall is impossible.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 24
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 18
50% probability date
Growing Season
189 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,155
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,224
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside NM closest to Albuquerque Valley on two NOAA annual-normal axes (mean temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.
Closest by average temperature
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual mean temperature (57°F here).
- Ashland, KS 57°F · 0.0°F off
- Beaver Dam, KY 57°F · 0.0°F off
- Benton, KY 57°F · 0.0°F off
- Clearlake, CA 57°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (9.7" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Del Norte, CO 9.7" · 0.0" off
- Kivalina, AK 9.7" · 0.0" off
- Malta, ID 9.6" · 0.1" off
- Wittmann, AZ 9.6" · 0.1" off
Scarce-water calendar
Where Albuquerque Valley's limited precipitation lands
heating led · dry · mid swing
Albuquerque Valley's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 4,155 annual heating degree days against 1,224 for cooling. Its 41.9°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Albuquerque Valley's frost-free season lasts about 189 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
July and December mark the typical warm and cold ends of the calendar in Albuquerque Valley's middle-range seasonal profile. The measured spread is 41.9°F. The annual average is 57°F. Neither the annual mean nor one extreme month represents the full calendar on its own.
Albuquerque Valley's cold-season load does not imply a wet climate. Annual precipitation is 9.7 inches, which places the station in PlainClimate's dry range. Annual snowfall totals 6.8 inches. The snowfall and rainfall fields should be read separately rather than inferred from temperature.
Albuquerque Valley wettest normal
July
July concentrates the scarce annual total (9.7 inches).
Albuquerque Valley driest normal
January
January is typically driest; arid stations are defined by when water is absent, not by a four-season grid.
Questions about Albuquerque Valley's climate
How dry is Albuquerque Valley? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Albuquerque Valley get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Albuquerque Valley? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Albuquerque Valley's primary station: ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY (USC00290231). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The conservative exact name-and-state crosswalk finds no Census place match, so PlainClimate treats this as a station-mapped location and does not claim it is a municipality. No exact Gazetteer row for Albuquerque Valley; facility counts that depend on place identity are therefore an upper bound, not a municipal census.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Albuquerque Valley comes from its primary NOAA station record. No figure on this page is typed in by an editor - each value is rendered from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 1991–2020 normals.