Socorro, New Mexico Weather
Heat hardens the dust. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Socorro weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast18%—89°60°—
- ThursdayJun 4Overcast——92°60°+3°
- FridayJun 5Light Drizzle——93°66°+1°
- SaturdayJun 6Light Drizzle——92°67°-1°
- SundayJun 7Overcast——95°68°+3°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——95°73°0°
- TuesdayJun 9Partly Cloudy10%—98°72°+3°
Ozone at AQI 44 now. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). With UV 9.2 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 54 by mid-afternoon.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 44 now. With UV 9.2 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 54 by mid-afternoon.
- Present
- AQI 44
- UV peak
- 9.2 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 54
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 4.6 µg/m³, PM10 at 6.2 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.74
- Wind
- light
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- background
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 4:41 AM
- Moonset
- 2:29 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Heat hardens the dust
Socorro at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 83°F — typical for the season
- Last frost: March 11 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 3, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Socorro
SPC has placed Socorro in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms today.
- TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | — |
| May | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
Socorro's warmest month is July (~77°F mean) and its coldest is December (~37°F). Rainfall peaks in July (2.4 inches) and bottoms out in February (0.3 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 0.3″ | 1 |
| February | 44° | 0.3″ | 1 |
| March | 51° | 0.5″ | 1 |
| April | 58° | 0.3″ | 1 |
| May | 66° | 0.4″ | 1 |
| June | 74° | 0.4″ | 1 |
| July | 77° | 2.4″ | 4 |
| August | 75° | 2.1″ | 4 |
| September | 69° | 1.3″ | 3 |
| October | 57° | 0.9″ | 2 |
| November | 46° | 0.5″ | 1 |
| December | 37° | 0.6″ | 2 |
Regional context
Socorro's baseline climate, derived from NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals at the nearest reporting station, swings from a January mean of 38°F to a July mean of 77°F — a 40°F seasonal arc typical of the mid-latitude bands. Annual precipitation runs about 10 inches spread across roughly 23 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
Precipitation runs summer-dominant here: July averages 2.4 inches across 4.4 days with measurable rain, driven mostly by warm-season storms and thunderstorm activity, while February drops to just 0.3 inches across 0.9 rainy days under drier cool-season air. That wet-warm-summer pattern groups Socorro with places like Escondida, NM, Luis Lopez, NM and Lemitar, NM — a regional cohort where summer thunderstorm season carries more than half the annual moisture.
The frost-sensitive growing window opens around mid-March, when overnight lows reliably clear freezing for cool-season crops like peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes. Warm-season transplants — tomatoes, peppers, and basil — typically wait two weeks past that date to avoid late spring cold snaps. The window closes around mid-December, when overnight lows resume dipping below freezing and frost-tender plants need protection or harvest. These dates represent 30-year central tendencies; actual year-to-year variation can shift either bookend by 7-14 days, and local microclimate features within Socorro — cold-air drainage on calm clear nights, slope aspect, distance from any nearby lake or river — can push the practical frost window earlier or later than the regional average.
Similar climates: Escondida, NM, Luis Lopez, NM, Lemitar, NM, San Antonio, NM, Polvadera, NM.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Socorro?
- Socorro's last spring frost typically falls around mid-March, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in Socorro?
- July is the wettest month with about 2.4 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 10 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Socorro?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 77°F.
- What is the coldest month in Socorro?
- December is typically coldest, averaging about 37°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Socorro?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-March); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Socorro get?
- Socorro averages about 23 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Socorro?
- Socorro's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Socorro, New Mexico sits in a hot desert climate zone. January means hover near 38°F while July averages 77°F — a 40°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, Socorro receives about 10 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 23 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (34.1°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.