Crystal is among the driest of U.S. towns: 12 inches of precipitation a year
In July the day’s top temperature is typically 84°. Its January nights bite harder than in 81% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with March up the most. The outdoor season runs from June to September, with highs of 75–84°.
A year in Crystal at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Crystal’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Crystal’s place in New Mexico beside it.
What a year in Crystal feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 12 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Crystal’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 6a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 5.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Crystal from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (65%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 19%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Crystal and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Crystal yet.
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 Crystal averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 58% 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 Crystal compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Crystal’s place among New Mexico’s.
Crystal weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Crystal’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 16° | 1.0" | 21° – 35° |
| February | 45° | 20° | 0.8" | 27° – 38° |
| March | 52° | 25° | 0.8" | 34° – 43° |
| April | 59° | 30° | 0.5" | 40° – 50° |
| May | 69° | 38° | 0.6" | 48° – 58° |
| June | 80° | 47° | 0.3" | 60° – 68° |
| July | 84° | 54° | 1.7" | 65° – 72° |
| August | 81° | 53° | 1.8" | 64° – 71° |
| September | 75° | 45° | 1.3" | 54° – 63° |
| October | 63° | 33° | 1.0" | 44° – 53° |
| November | 50° | 23° | 0.8" | 31° – 44° |
| December | 41° | 16° | 1.1" | 21° – 34° |
| Year | 62° | 33° | 11.8" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 35°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Crystal’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 Crystal’s center.
- 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 Crystal’s climate
What is the weather like in Crystal?
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 16°. Colder January nights than 81% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 61% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Crystal in winter?
December nights average 16°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 21°.
How hot does it get in Crystal?
July, with a typical high of 84°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Crystal in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −6°.
What is the best time of year to visit Crystal?
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 Crystal getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 58% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Crystal.
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.