Las Cruces, NM weather in October
Las Cruces is warm and mostly dry in October: highs average 80°F and nights drop to about 48°F. Rain falls on about 4 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 80°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 84°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 55°F | 42°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 13% | 11% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:01 am / 6:52 pm | 7:23 am / 6:17 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.9 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical October day
- 6 am56°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 am65°Fdew point 40°F
- Noon74°Fdew point 40°F
- 3 pm78°Fdew point 37°F
- 6 pm73°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 pm66°Fdew point 38°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from El Paso Intl Airport (42 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 63% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 20%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow4 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry October brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 1.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202016: average high 84°F
- Coolest October2018: average high 75°F
- Wettest October2015: 3.3 in
- Driest October1995: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading95°F (October 3, 2015)
- Lowest reading24°F (October 28, 2020)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
October compared with September and November
| September | October | November | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 88°F | 80°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 61°F | 48°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 13 | 19 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.4 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -8°F from September and -12°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Tucson, AZ242 mi · high 86°F · 3 wet days
- Cooler: Albuquerque, NM192 mi · high 71°F · 5 wet days
How Las Cruces ranks in October
- Normal high90th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in New Mexico
- Wet days72nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days125th most of 340
What to pack for Las Cruces in October
- Layers – afternoons near 80°F but nights near 48°F
Heating and cooling
October has 94 heating degree days and 61 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Las Cruces in October?
The normal high is 80°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 95°F (most recently on October 3, 2015).
Does it rain a lot in Las Cruces in October?
About 4 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (3.3 in); the driest was in 1995, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Las Cruces in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 0.1 in.
Is October a good time to visit Las Cruces?
October ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Las Cruces (65 out of 100). It has about 13 comfortable days and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best month is March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: State Univ (USC00298535), 2.4 mi SSE of the city center, 3,886 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: El Paso Intl Airport (USW00023044), 42 mi SE of the city center, 3,918 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: El Paso International Airport (722700-23044), 42 mi SE of the city center, 3,944 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.