Capitan, NM Climate

Climate Insight: Capitan, NM

The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Capitan, New Mexico as a location with an annual average temperature of 54°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 69°F to a mean daily low of 38°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00291440, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.

Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Capitan receives roughly 16.6 inches of precipitation each year, with 27.3 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 162 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 3 and the first fall freeze near October 12. For energy use, 4,600 heating degree days and 444 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Capitan scores 49/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and December-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.