Dry weather: only 15 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Pinon, less than in 93% of U.S. towns
Midsummer highs settle at about 85°. In January, nights here are milder than in 63% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.9°, most of all in March. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from November to March, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Pinon at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Pinon’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Pinon’s place in New Mexico beside it.
What a year in Pinon feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 155 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first by October 11. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Elk, NM, 21 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Pinon’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 4°. 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 13 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Elk, NM, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 15 inches a year; July is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 54 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Pinon
91% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from November through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Elk, NM.
Living with Pinon’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
155 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by May 7 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 11.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, August, September and October. 7.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Pinon from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (51%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Pinon and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Pinon yet.
Climates most like Pinon’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinon, NM | 25° | 85° | 15" | 13" |
| Indian Hills, NV | 25° | 86° | 14" | 14" |
| La Grande, OR | 25° | 84° | 18" | 9.4" |
| Hamilton, MT | 20° | 86° | 13" | 17" |
| Show Low, AZ | 19° | 86° | 15" | 19" |
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 Pinon averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.9°).
A bigger shift than in 87% 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 Pinon compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Pinon’s place among New Mexico’s.
Pinon weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Pinon’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Elk, NM. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 25° | 0.6" | 3.1" | 3 | 34° – 43° |
| February | 56° | 29° | 0.5" | 2.0" | 2 | 37° – 47° |
| March | 63° | 33° | 0.7" | 1.2" | 3 | 45° – 53° |
| April | 70° | 40° | 0.5" | 0.2" | 2 | 50° – 60° |
| May | 78° | 48° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 60° – 68° |
| June | 87° | 57° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 5 | 68° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 60° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 69° – 77° |
| August | 84° | 59° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 11 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 79° | 53° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 62° – 69° |
| October | 71° | 42° | 1.5" | 1.5" | 4 | 54° – 62° |
| November | 61° | 32° | 0.6" | 1.9" | 2 | 40° – 52° |
| December | 53° | 26° | 0.7" | 3.5" | 2 | 33° – 44° |
| Year | 70° | 42° | 15.4" | 13.4" | 54 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 40° to 52°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Pinon’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 Pinon’s center.
- Snow: Elk, NM.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Elk, NM, 21 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 Pinon’s climate
What is the weather like in Pinon?
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 51% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Pinon in winter?
January nights average 25°. About 151 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 34°.
How much snow does Pinon get?
About 13 inches in a normal winter at Elk, NM, most of it in December.
How hot does it get in Pinon?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 60°. About 20 days a year reach 90° (Elk, NM).
When is the first and last frost in Pinon?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 7 and the first fall frost by October 11, about 155 frost-free days, at Elk, NM.
What growing zone is Pinon in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 4°.
What is the best time of year to visit Pinon?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Pinon getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 87% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Pinon.
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.