Precipitation in Capulin trails that of 91% of U.S. towns: 17 inches a year
Deep winter brings January lows near 15°. Its January nights bite harder than in 84% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.0° more than in 1901–2000, led by March. Tender plants can go out after about May 17; in half of years the first frost comes by October 1.
A year in Capulin at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Capulin’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Capulin’s place in New Mexico beside it.
What a year in Capulin feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 136 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 17 and the first by October 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Capulin, NM, 0.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Capulin’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −11°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 41 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Capulin, NM, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 17 inches a year; July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 82 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Capulin
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Capulin, NM.
Living with Capulin’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
136 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 17 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 1.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Capulin from natural hazards, drought is the largest share (37%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Capulin and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Capulin yet.
Climates most like Capulin’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capulin, NM | 15° | 83° | 17" | 41" |
| Kalispell, MT | 18° | 83° | 16" | 54" |
| Gleneagle, CO | 14° | 84° | 21" | 55" |
| Doney Park, AZ | 17° | 86° | 16" | 52" |
| Rapid City, SD | 14° | 86° | 19" | 36" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Capulin averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Capulin compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Capulin’s place among New Mexico’s.
Capulin weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Capulin’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Capulin, NM. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 15° | 0.4" | 6.4" | 5 | 12 | 23° – 35° |
| February | 47° | 17° | 0.4" | 5.4" | 5 | 9 | 24° – 38° |
| March | 55° | 23° | 0.9" | 7.7" | 6 | 3 | 35° – 44° |
| April | 61° | 30° | 1.0" | 4.6" | 6 | 1 | 40° – 51° |
| May | 70° | 39° | 1.7" | 0.7" | 7 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| June | 80° | 48° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| July | 83° | 53° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| August | 80° | 52° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 75° | 44° | 1.8" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| October | 64° | 33° | 1.1" | 2.4" | 5 | 1 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 52° | 23° | 0.6" | 4.6" | 4 | 3 | 31° – 44° |
| December | 45° | 15° | 0.6" | 9.1" | 5 | 10 | 25° – 34° |
| Year | 63° | 33° | 17.3" | 40.9" | 82 | 40 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 24° to 38°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Capulin’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Capulin’s center.
- Snow: Capulin, NM (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Capulin, NM, 0.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Capulin’s climate
What is the weather like in Capulin?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 84% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 74% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Capulin in winter?
January nights average 15°. About 183 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 23°.
How much snow does Capulin get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter at Capulin, NM, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 40 days a year.
How hot does it get in Capulin?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 53°. About 16 days a year reach 90° (Capulin, NM).
When is the first and last frost in Capulin?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 17 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 136 frost-free days, at Capulin, NM.
What growing zone is Capulin in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −11°.
What is the best time of year to visit Capulin?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Capulin getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 77% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Capulin.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.