Does it snow in Albuquerque?

Albuquerque, also known as The Duke City and Burque, is by far the most populous and famous city in the state of New Mexico in the United States due to its remarkable population of 564,559 inhabitants and its lovely natural tourist attractions.

Albuquerque is synonymous with natural beauty, as it is home to all kinds of landscapes, from extensive mountain ranges to forests and rivers.

However, Albuquerque is not just a leading tourist center but also a notable center for technology and communication companies, as well as a prominent gastronomy hub in the southwestern United States.

Snow in Albuquerque? ❄

Contrary to what one might believe due to its latitudinal position, Albuquerque's climate is not extremely hot. In fact, according to the Köppen climate classification, Albuquerque's climate is of the cold semi-arid type (BSk), so it is not surprising that the city receives measurable snowfall during the winter.

As far as the intensity of snowfall in Albuquerque is concerned, these are not usually very significant. Indeed, the average snowfall in Albuquerque barely reaches 7.9 inches per winter; a much lower figure compared to other southern cities. 

Finally, on different occasions, Albuquerque has been hit by winter storms, which have left behind an unusual accumulation of snow in the city. The most exemplary case was the winter storm at the end of December 2006, which left a snow accumulation of between 10.5 and 26 inches in its wake in Albuquerque. 

The climate of Albuquerque ⛅

ALBUQUERQUE WEATHER

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, Albuquerque's climate is predominantly semi-arid, specifically cold semi-arid according to the Köppen climate classification, due to its latitudinal location and high elevation (5,312 FASL).

For this reason, it is not surprising that its climate is relatively mild compared to other cities in both the extreme north and the extreme south of the United States, repeatedly reaching temperatures below the freezing point.

However, the frequency with which these frosts occur can change depending on the Albuquerque elevation since its terrain is not stable but irregular.

Regarding the climatic characteristics of the seasons, winters in Albuquerque are usually cold during the day and chilly at night; however, the passage of arctic air masses can severely lower its temperatures.

On the other hand, summers can be both hot and very hot, but without being unbearable or oppressive.

As for spring and autumn, the first is characterized by some fast wind gusts (20 – 30 mph), while the second is characterized, in general terms, by its cool temperatures and a much more pleasant climate.

Finally, the annual rainfall of Albuquerque, like most southern states, is paltry compared to northern states, reaching just 8.84 inches per year, with January being its driest month and July and August being the wettest and most rainy months.

Summer weather characteristics

• Highest record temperature: 107 °F (41.6 °C.)
• Average high: 96.63 °F (35.9 °C.)
• Average low: 62.85 °F (17.1 °C.)
• Average precipitation per summer month: 1.168 inches (2.9 cm.)

Winter weather characteristics

• Lowest record temperature: −17 °F (-27.2 °C.)
• Average high: 53.15 °F (11.75 °C.)
• Average low: 29.75 °F (-1.25 °C.)
• Average precipitation per winter month: 0.445 inches (1.13 cm.)

Precipitation and other weather characteristics

• Average precipitation per year: 8.84 inches (22.4 cm.)
• Average snowfall per year: 7.9 inches (20 cm.)
• Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) per year: 56.1 days.
• Average snowy days (≥ 0.01 in) per year: 8.5 days.
• Average days of freezing temperatures: 93 days.

When does it snow in Albuquerque? 🌨

Does it snow in Albuquerque in October?

Yes, it might snow in October. Although, the odds are slim.

Does it snow in Albuquerque in November?

Yes, it might snow in November. Occasionally, the winter season is brought forward and begins in November. However, this usually starts in December.

Does it snow in Albuquerque in December?

Yes, it might snow in December. Once winter begins, the snow season does too. However, it happens in a rather aggressive way compared to other southern cities, reaching its peak within days of starting.

Does it snow in Albuquerque in January?

Yes, it might snow in January. Although the winter season is maintained throughout January, the snowfall significantly decreases its intensity compared to December.

Does it snow in Albuquerque in February?

Yes, it might snow in February. Between January and February, there is hardly any distinction in terms of the intensity and duration of the snowfalls.

Does it snow in Albuquerque in March?

Yes, it might snow in March. Once the end of winter approaches, the snowfalls begin to drastically decrease in intensity, barely registering a whole day with snowfalls greater than 0.1 inches throughout the country.

Does it snow in Albuquerque in April?

Yes, it might snow in April. Although similar to October, the odds are close to zero.

How much does it snow in Albuquerque? 🌨

Next, we present an informative table on different climatological parameters of Albuquerque, which includes the average snowfall monthly of this city expressed in inches:

The above data comes from climatic data provided by the Albuquerque International Sunport.