Climate Comfort Score
58/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 58°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Rio Rancho, NM Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 58°F
- Avg annual temp
- 58/100
- Comfort score
- 9.5"
- Annual precip
- 207d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho, New Mexico averages 58°F a year and scores 58/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 38% of U.S. cities.
- 58°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 58/100
- comfort score, milder than 38% of U.S. cities
- 9.5"
- annual precipitation
- 207 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
58°F (14°C)
Avg High
73°F
Avg Low
43°F
Annual Precip
9.5"
Comfort Score
58/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
58°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
9.5"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Rio Rancho) 58.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Rio Rancho area.
How Rio Rancho compares to every U.S. city
Rio Rancho's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
58 Top 62% higher than 38% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Rio Rancho
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Rio Rancho, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50°F (10°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 0.5" | 28.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 56°F (13°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 0.5" | 23.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 66°F (19°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 0.3" | 12.6 | 0.0 |
| April | 73°F (23°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 0.5" | 4.0 | 0.1 |
| May | 81°F (27°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.6" | 0.4 | 5.2 |
| June | 93°F (34°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 76°F (25°C) | 0.6" | 0.0 | 25.4 |
| July | 96°F (35°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 80°F (27°C) | 1.2" | 0.0 | 27.5 |
| August | 92°F (33°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 1.7" | 0.0 | 25.1 |
| September | 86°F (30°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 1.2" | 0.0 | 11.6 |
| October | 74°F (23°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 1.3" | 2.3 | 0.1 |
| November | 61°F (16°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 0.5" | 17.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 50°F (10°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 0.6" | 28.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.5"
3.1 days with precipitation
February 0.5"
2.7 days with precipitation
March 0.3"
2.2 days with precipitation
April 0.5"
2.8 days with precipitation
May 0.6"
3.2 days with precipitation
June 0.6"
2.6 days with precipitation
July 1.2"
8.3 days with precipitation
August 1.7"
7.3 days with precipitation
September 1.2"
6.0 days with precipitation
October 1.3"
4.1 days with precipitation
November 0.5"
2.4 days with precipitation
December 0.6"
4.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 1
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 8
50% probability date
Growing Season
207 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,002
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,484
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Rio Rancho's climate means for you
Rio Rancho runs 58°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 207 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 8 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,002 heating and 1,484 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Rio Rancho, NM
An annual average temperature of 58°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 73°F to a mean daily low of 43°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Rio Rancho, New Mexico. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00297481 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Rio Rancho receives roughly 9.5 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 207 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 8 and the first fall freeze near November 1. For energy use, 4,002 heating degree days and 1,484 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Rio Rancho scores 58/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings January-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Rio Rancho, NM? ▼
The average annual temperature in Rio Rancho, New Mexico is 58°F. The warmest month averages 96°F (35°C) and the coldest averages 24°F (-5°C).
How much rain does Rio Rancho get? ▼
Rio Rancho receives 9.5 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Rio Rancho? ▼
Rio Rancho has a climate comfort score of 58/100 (Moderate), milder than 38% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Rio Rancho? ▼
Rio Rancho has approximately 207 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 8 and the first fall freeze around November 1.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Rio Rancho? ▼
Rio Rancho has 4,002 heating degree days and 1,484 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Rio Rancho climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00297481 near Rio Rancho.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00297481. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.