Rio Rancho, NM Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: climate measurements used in PlainClimate's documented score
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Rio Rancho's primary NOAA station, RIO RANCHO #1 - 2 stations mapped to the area.
The climate verdict for Rio Rancho
Dryness leads the climate profile for Rio Rancho, New Mexico, with 10.4 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA records an annual average of 56°F. Its climate comfort score of 68/100 (good) lands mid-pack nationally, exceeding 56% of station-mapped location scores.
- 56°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 68/100
- comfort score, above 56% of station-mapped location scores
- 10.4"
- annual precipitation · 9" snow
- 190 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Rio Rancho: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USC00297477 · Rio Rancho, NM 56°F mean · 10.4" precip
TEMP-MILD · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-ARID · SWING-MID · COMF-MID · LOAD-HEAT · STN-MULTI · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-MILD 56°F
- RANK-UPPER #4,391
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Gentryville
- PRCP-ARID 10.4"
- SWING-MID 44°F
- COMF-MID 68/100
- LOAD-HEAT 4,475 HDD
- STN-MULTI USC00297477
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Gentryville, MO (+ 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.
- Rio Rancho (this station) 56°F
- Cold Lead Hill, AR 56°F
- Hot Lexington Blueg…, KY 56°F
- Near Gentryville, MO 56°F
- Near Rockville, MD 56°F
Climate Living Index · Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho: 38/100 · grade F
Rio Rancho publishes 5 of 6 Living Index dimensions (NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals); 1 missing weight rescale to 100.
PlainClimate-derived for Rio Rancho, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 68/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Annual temperature balance | 56.2°F · 11.3° from 67.5°F | 64/100 · C |
| Snowfall burden | 9.3 inches/year | 64/100 · C |
| Frost-free season | 190 days/year | 57/100 · C |
| Precipitation balance | 10.4 in · 24.6 from 35 in | 14/100 · F |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 208 calendar days | 10/100 · F |
Rio Rancho · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Rio Rancho'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
- 78.4°F
- Coldest month
- 34.4°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 Rio Rancho sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Rio Rancho's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 64th percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- Drier than 93%
- Rio Rancho's annual total ranks in the drier third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- 54th percentile swing
- Typical seasonal amplitude versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Rio Rancho compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Rio Rancho's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
68 Top 44% score exceeds 56% 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%). Below this entry.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). This entry sits in this band.
- 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 | 47°F (9°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 0.5" | 1.6" | 29.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 54°F (12°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 0.5" | 2.0" | 25.4 | 0.0 |
| March | 63°F (17°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 0.5" | 0.6" | 16.8 | 0.0 |
| April | 72°F (22°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 5.0 | 0.1 |
| May | 80°F (27°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 0.6 | 4.3 |
| June | 92°F (34°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 0.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 24.1 |
| July | 94°F (34°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 1.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 25.2 |
| August | 91°F (33°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 1.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 23.0 |
| September | 84°F (29°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 1.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 8.1 |
| October | 72°F (22°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.4" | 0.6" | 3.9 | 0.0 |
| November | 58°F (14°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 0.6" | 0.7" | 20.5 | 0.0 |
| December | 47°F (8°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 0.8" | 3.8" | 29.2 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Rio Rancho works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 95°F by June 27 and hold at or above 90°F on 78 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 130 dates, bottoming at 21°F around January 1.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from June 7 through August 23, covering 78 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs April 5 to October 19.
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 14, then returns to freezing around November 6, covering 130 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 July 28, when 35% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is November 10 at 9%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 62 wet dates a year.
The widest day
June 15 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 Rio Rancho.
Where Rio Rancho Stands Nationally
Aridity defines the water calendar: about 11 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 78 days a year, more than four out of five ranked stations record.
Rio Rancho 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: 1.6"
3.5 days with precipitation
Snow: 2.0"
3.3 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.6"
2.8 days with precipitation
3.7 days with precipitation
4.8 days with precipitation
3.3 days with precipitation
10.4 days with precipitation
9.9 days with precipitation
7.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.6"
5.2 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.7"
2.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 3.8"
5.0 days with precipitation
Rio Rancho spreads its precipitation across the year
Neither half of the year dominates here: June through August take 35% of the annual total and December through February 17%, with neither reaching the 35% that would mark a distinct wet season. Rio Rancho has no dry season to plan around, though it does carry a 44°F seasonal spread.
The gap between the wettest and driest month still matters: August averages 1.8" and June 0.4". The three wettest months together take 44% of the year, against the 25% a perfectly flat distribution would give them.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. "Spread across the year" means neither the June-August nor the December-February share reaches 35%; it describes an average year, not the variability of any single one.
Rio Rancho is dry, and what does fall arrives gently
Only about 62 days a year record measurable precipitation here, 17% of the calendar, and they carry 10.4" 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 July at about 10 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 Rio Rancho, but rarely amounts to much
The normals record 9.3 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 7 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 23
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 16
50% probability date
Growing Season
190 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,475
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,292
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside NM closest to Rio Rancho 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 (56°F here).
- Baltimore, MD 56°F · 0.0°F off
- Cape May, NJ 56°F · 0.0°F off
- Galena, MO 56°F · 0.0°F off
- Grayville, IL 56°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (10.4" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Jerome, ID 10.4" · 0.0" off
- Merced, CA 10.4" · 0.0" off
- Palisade, CO 10.5" · 0.0" off
- Shoshone, ID 10.5" · 0.0" off
Scarce-water calendar
Where Rio Rancho's limited precipitation lands
heating led · dry · mid swing
Rio Rancho's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 4,475 annual heating degree days against 1,292 for cooling. Its 44.0°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Rio Rancho's frost-free season lasts about 190 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
July and January mark the typical warm and cold ends of the calendar in Rio Rancho's middle-range seasonal profile. The measured spread is 44.0°F. The annual average is 56°F. Neither the annual mean nor one extreme month represents the full calendar on its own.
Rio Rancho's cold-season load does not imply a wet climate. Annual precipitation is 10.4 inches, which places the station in PlainClimate's dry range. Annual snowfall totals 9.3 inches. The snowfall and rainfall fields should be read separately rather than inferred from temperature.
Rio Rancho wettest normal
August
August concentrates the scarce annual total (10.4 inches).
Rio Rancho driest normal
June
June is typically driest; arid stations are defined by when water is absent, not by a four-season grid.
Questions about Rio Rancho's climate
How dry is Rio Rancho? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Rio Rancho get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Rio Rancho? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Rio Rancho's primary station: RIO RANCHO #1 (USC00297477). 2 NOAA stations are mapped to the Rio Rancho area; the primary station's record is used for consistency. For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The 2024 Census Gazetteer identifies the exact name-and-state match as an incorporated place (GEOID 3563460). Match rule for Rio Rancho: exact normalized name + state only, no fuzzy expansion, so nearby differently spelled facilities stay unmatched.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Rio Rancho 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.