Clayton, NM Climate

Climate Insight: Clayton, NM

In Clayton, New Mexico, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 53°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 70°F to a mean daily low of 37°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USC00291883, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.

Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Clayton receives roughly 17.9 inches of precipitation each year, with 18.8 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 160 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 4 and the first fall freeze near October 11. For energy use, 5,037 heating degree days and 828 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Clayton scores 54/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above are the practical planning tool: mild highs and lows land in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat peaks in summer, and January-driven cold sets in over deep winter. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast - any single year can run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal.