Dry weather: only 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Ponderosa, less than in 93% of U.S. towns
Midwinter brings lows of about 21°. August is the wettest month here, with about 4.1 times the rain of February. Its July heat outdoes that of 62% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about May 9; in half of years the first frost comes by October 11.
A year in Ponderosa at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Ponderosa’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Ponderosa’s place in New Mexico beside it.
What a year in Ponderosa feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 153 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first by October 11. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Jemez Springs, NM, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Ponderosa’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 23 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Jemez Springs, NM, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 14 inches a year; August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 59 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Ponderosa
90% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October 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 Jemez Springs, NM.
Living with Ponderosa’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
153 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by May 9 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 and September. 3.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Ponderosa from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (57%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Ponderosa and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Ponderosa yet.
Climates most like Ponderosa’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ponderosa, NM | 21° | 87° | 14" | 23" |
| Show Low, AZ | 19° | 86° | 15" | 19" |
| Cold Springs, NV | 23° | 88° | 13" | 17" |
| Hamilton, MT | 20° | 86° | 13" | 17" |
| Burley, ID | 21° | 89° | 10" | 21" |
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 Ponderosa averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.4°).
A smaller 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 Ponderosa compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Ponderosa’s place among New Mexico’s.
Ponderosa weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Ponderosa’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Jemez Springs, NM. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 21° | 0.8" | 6.1" | 4 | 6 | 27° – 38° |
| February | 49° | 24° | 0.6" | 2.7" | 4 | 2 | 30° – 42° |
| March | 57° | 29° | 0.8" | 3.5" | 4 | 1 | 39° – 48° |
| April | 65° | 35° | 0.7" | 1.6" | 3 | 0 | 45° – 54° |
| May | 74° | 43° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| June | 85° | 52° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| July | 87° | 58° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| August | 84° | 56° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 68° – 74° |
| September | 78° | 50° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| October | 67° | 39° | 1.5" | 0.4" | 4 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| November | 53° | 28° | 0.9" | 2.6" | 4 | 1 | 33° – 48° |
| December | 44° | 21° | 0.9" | 5.9" | 4 | 4 | 28° – 38° |
| Year | 66° | 38° | 14.4" | 22.8" | 59 | 13 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 33° to 48°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Ponderosa’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 Ponderosa’s center.
- Snow: Jemez Springs, NM.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jemez Springs, NM, 9 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 Ponderosa’s climate
What is the weather like in Ponderosa?
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 23 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 53% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 62% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Ponderosa in winter?
January nights average 21°. About 160 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 27°.
How much snow does Ponderosa get?
About 23 inches in a normal winter at Jemez Springs, NM, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 13 days a year.
How hot does it get in Ponderosa?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 58°. About 42 days a year reach 90° (Jemez Springs, NM).
When is the first and last frost in Ponderosa?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 9 and the first fall frost by October 11, about 153 frost-free days, at Jemez Springs, NM.
What growing zone is Ponderosa 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 Ponderosa?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Ponderosa getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 58% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Ponderosa.
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.