What is the hottest month at Carlsbad Caverns?

June, with an average high of 92°F and an average low of 66°F at Carlsbad Caverns (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 83 days a year at or above 90°F.

How cold does Carlsbad Caverns get in winter?

January is the coldest month, averaging a low of 34°F and a high of 56°F at Carlsbad Caverns. About 43 nights a year drop to freezing or below.

Does it snow at Carlsbad Caverns?

Yes. Carlsbad Caverns averages 3.5 inches of snow a year, mostly in December. Higher ground in the park gets more.

When is the rainy season at Carlsbad Caverns?

September is the wettest month on average (2.9 inches of precipitation at Carlsbad Caverns); the station's annual total is 13.8 inches.

How many hours of daylight does Carlsbad Caverns get?

About 14h 15m on June 15 and 10h 03m on December 15 (sunrise 5:51 AM, sunset 8:06 PM in June; 6:51 AM to 4:55 PM in December, America/Denver time).

What is the best month to visit Carlsbad Caverns for weather?

By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December. Of those, January, February, September, October and November are also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Carlsbad Caverns station.

Weather by month

Carlsbad Caverns weather, month by month

Last verified October 6, 2026NOAA 1991–2020 normalsAmerica/Denver time

Average highs, lows, rain, snow and daylight for every month. Measured at the Carlsbad Caverns (4,435 ft, 0.2 mi from Visitor Center).

Photo of Giant Dome and Twin Domes in the Big Room. — Photo: NPS / Michael Larson

Jun high: 92°F; hottest month
Jan low: 34°F; coldest month
Rain + snowmelt: 13.8in / yr; wettest: Sep
Snowfall: 3.5in / yr; Dec only
Days ≥ 90°F: 83/ yr
Nights ≤ 32°F: 43/ yr

Carlsbad Caverns

Month by month

Normals are 30-year averages (1991–2020). Crowds = each month’s share of the park’s busiest month, from NPS visitor counts. Sunrise and sunset are for the 15th of each month in 2027.

Average high and low, every monthbars run from the low to the high · tan strip = precipitation

Month	High	Low	Rain	Snow	Wet days	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight	Crowds
Jan	56°	34°	0.3″	0.4″	4	6:59 AM	5:16 PM	10h 16m	38
Feb	61°	37°	0.4″	0.9″	3	6:41 AM	5:44 PM	11h 03m	39
Mar	68°	43°	0.6″	—	3	7:09 AM	7:06 PM	11h 57m	92
Apr	76°	49°	0.5″	—	2	6:29 AM	7:27 PM	12h 58m	73
May	84°	58°	1.3″	—	4	6:01 AM	7:48 PM	13h 48m	67
Jun	92°	66°	1.2″	—	5	5:51 AM	8:06 PM	14h 15m	88
Jul	91°	68°	2.2″	—	6	6:02 AM	8:06 PM	14h 03m	100
Aug	90°	66°	2.0″	—	6	6:23 AM	7:43 PM	13h 20m	62
Sep	83°	60°	2.9″	—	6	6:42 AM	7:05 PM	12h 23m	53
Oct	75°	52°	1.2″	—	5	7:02 AM	6:26 PM	11h 25m	55
Nov	65°	42°	0.7″	0.2″	3	6:27 AM	4:58 PM	10h 31m	55
Dec	57°	35°	0.6″	2.0″	3	6:51 AM	4:55 PM	10h 03m	63

Sweet spot: January, February, September, October and November combine average highs between 55°F and 85°F with crowds under 60% of the peak month. Check what is open in those months — quiet can also mean closed roads.

How to read this

These are NOAA’s official 1991–2020 climate normals for one weather station, not a model of the whole park. The station is the one with complete temperature and precipitation normals nearest to a visitor center. Highs and lows are daily averages for the month; “wet days” are days with at least 0.01 inch of precipitation. Mountain parks can be 10–20 °F cooler at their high points than at the station, and the NPS weather page for Carlsbad Caverns is the place for current conditions and seasonal closures.

Sunrise and sunset are computed with the NOAA solar equations for the park’s coordinates and shown in America/Denver time for the 15th of each month of 2027; they are accurate to about a minute.

Sources · 3

1.U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — monthly normals station inventory · National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA)
2.Carlsbad Caverns National Park — Weather (nps.gov) · National Park Service
3.Carlsbad Caverns National Park — Visitor Use Statistics · National Park Service (IRMA)

FAQ

Carlsbad Caverns weather questions

What is the hottest month at Carlsbad Caverns?: June, with an average high of 92°F and an average low of 66°F at Carlsbad Caverns (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 83 days a year at or above 90°F.
How cold does Carlsbad Caverns get in winter?: January is the coldest month, averaging a low of 34°F and a high of 56°F at Carlsbad Caverns. About 43 nights a year drop to freezing or below.
Does it snow at Carlsbad Caverns?: Yes. Carlsbad Caverns averages 3.5 inches of snow a year, mostly in December. Higher ground in the park gets more.
When is the rainy season at Carlsbad Caverns?: September is the wettest month on average (2.9 inches of precipitation at Carlsbad Caverns); the station's annual total is 13.8 inches.
How many hours of daylight does Carlsbad Caverns get?: About 14h 15m on June 15 and 10h 03m on December 15 (sunrise 5:51 AM, sunset 8:06 PM in June; 6:51 AM to 4:55 PM in December, America/Denver time).
What is the best month to visit Carlsbad Caverns for weather?: By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December. Of those, January, February, September, October and November are also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Carlsbad Caverns station.

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