Dry weather: only 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Rivers, less than in 94% of U.S. towns
Expect July afternoons of about 90°. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 77% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.3° more than in 1901–2000, led by March. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 30 to October 3.
A year in Rivers at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Rivers’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Rivers’ place in New Mexico beside it.
What a year in Rivers feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 127 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 30 and the first by October 3. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Reserve Rs, NM, 2.9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Rivers’ center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −2°. 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 14 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and May the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Rivers
89% 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 Reserve Rs, NM.
Living with Rivers’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
127 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 30 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 3.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Rivers from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (47%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Rivers and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Rivers 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 Rivers averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.2°).
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 Rivers compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Rivers’ place among New Mexico’s.
Rivers weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Rivers’ center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 18° | 1.0" | 32° – 41° |
| February | 59° | 21° | 0.9" | 35° – 46° |
| March | 65° | 25° | 0.8" | 38° – 51° |
| April | 72° | 30° | 0.4" | 45° – 56° |
| May | 80° | 36° | 0.4" | 54° – 64° |
| June | 90° | 45° | 0.4" | 63° – 71° |
| July | 90° | 53° | 2.3" | 69° – 76° |
| August | 87° | 53° | 2.6" | 67° – 74° |
| September | 83° | 45° | 2.0" | 61° – 67° |
| October | 74° | 34° | 1.2" | 51° – 59° |
| November | 63° | 24° | 0.9" | 36° – 53° |
| December | 55° | 18° | 1.0" | 31° – 42° |
| Year | 73° | 33° | 13.8" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 53°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Rivers’ 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 Rivers’ center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Reserve Rs, NM, 2.9 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 Rivers’ climate
What is the weather like in Rivers?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 18°. Colder January nights than 70% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 77% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Rivers in winter?
December nights average 18°. About 194 nights a year reach 32° or below and 2 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 31°.
How hot does it get in Rivers?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 53°. About 63 days a year reach 90° and 3 reach 100° (Reserve Rs, NM).
When is the first and last frost in Rivers?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 30 and the first fall frost by October 3, about 127 frost-free days, at Reserve Rs, NM.
What growing zone is Rivers in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −2°.
What is the best time of year to visit Rivers?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Rivers 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 Rivers.
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.