The weather in New Mexico is extremely varied throughout the year, as is the landscape.  New Mexico is at the southern end of the Continental Divide in the US.  Depending on elevation, topography, wind speed, and other factors,  travelers may encounter a blizzard one minute, and an hour later find themselves sipping margaritas in short sleeves in a sunny plaza. New Mexico, with only 2 million citizens, is America's fifth largest in geographic area, and just about has it all when it comes to history, culture, and varied landscapes. Home to prehistoric man, ancient tribes, modern Native Americans, Spaniards, Mexicans, and American settlers, New Mexico has hundreds of historic and cultrural attractions worth visiting by car. Spaces are great, and so the traveler in New Mexico will be subject to weather conditions with many gaps of 50 miles or more between services.

The state is shaped roughly like a playing card. The southern portion of the state is part of the Chihuahuan Desert of "Old" Mexico, very dry, and very hot in summer. 100's are common here, but nights cool off quickly above 2,500 feet in elevation, even in summer.  Interstate 10 runs east and west through southern New Mexico. Moving north, the mountain islands of Southwest New Mexico, eastward to  the prominent "El Capitan" near Ruidoso are stunning travel companions.  In the northern half of the state, Pinon Pine and Juniper scrub rises to beautiful Alpine forest from The Sandia Mountains and Sangre de Cristos near Santa Fe up to the 8,000 foot Taos and Chama regions against the Colorado border.  As far as when to go, lower elevations will be less comfortable in the summer, and mountains will be snowy in the winter, while middle elevations around 4-5,000 feet (Albuquerque and the Eastern Plains) are typically easy to drive in year round.  However, it should be noted that Interstate 40 is occasionally closed during blizzards, every few years.

Eastern New Mexico lies on the 4,000 foot high Southwest Great Plains where it meets the Chihuahua Desert, and New Mexicans call this area the Eastern Plains. The Eastern Plains are primarily short grass prarie and dunes, with an occasional Salt Lake or Playa.  This is the Old West of Billy the Kid, including some of the last remote western farms, ranches, and prehistoric grasslands as well as Blackwater Draw, the ancient site of "Clovis Man", near the small charming university town of Portales.  Western New Mexico is a vast land of mesas, mountains, and a sprinkling of ancient volcanoes.  The tall peaks, pines, and rushing streams of the Gila Wilderness Area dominate the west central portion of New Mexico. Northwest New Mexico is home to ancient Pueblos and the eastern half of the Navajo Tribal Nation, the largest Native American Indian nation in the US. The Rio Grande River Valley, cutting through the center of the state from north to south is home to dramatic peaks, ancient pueblos, and the old Spanish cities of Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Hatch Chile is produced at the southern end of this valley, where seasonal (summer) roadway flooding is common.

 The Pacific Ocean is about 800 miles to the west of the state, while the Gulf of Mexico is about 700 miles to the southeast. Moisture has a long way to travel from either source. This means throughout New Mexico, you can expect a lot of sun, low humidity, and generally pleasant weather. In the higher elevations of the mountains temperatures can get very cold in mid-Winter. The plus side to that are the number of ski areas within New Mexico. Some, such as Taos Ski Valley, have world-class trails.

While  the coldest months may bring with them highs in the 20s and lows below freezing in the northern mountains, lower areas of the state can range from the 70s down to the 20s at night in the winter.  Altitude, low humidity, wind gusts, and around 300 bright, sunny days each year combine to allow great temperature variations, and so packing with "layers" of clothing and being prepared for extremes is highly advised.

In southern deserts the annual rainfall is less than 10 inches for the entire year. Summer rains can move in quickly in the form of intense, yet brief thunderstorms which can flood low lying areas and make driving difficult. Travelers are advised to pull over in the worst of these storms, and to never enter flooded arroyos or dips in the road. A  great deal of lightning is usually produced during these storms, but except in the Eastern Plains, tornadoes are almost unheard of in New Mexico.  Needless to say, there are no hurricanes, floods, or earthquakes of any significance either. The greatest chance for rainfall, is during the so-called "Monsoon Season," usually in July and August, although some years, it is late, and may extend well into September.  These "monsoons" sweep in from the West Coast of Mexico, and the Gulf of California.  As a result of these rains, September and October are usually the greenest times of the year.  Temperatures are also almost ideal at this time. A moderate amount of snowfall is common each winter in the higher elevations above 4,000 feet and on the Eastern Plains. Mountains can receive significant snowfall which is typically dry and powdery. While the lower elevations may receive 20 inches, some mountain resorts may receive over 200 inches of snow each year.

Many of the most charming and undiscovered roads in New Mexico are remote and lightly signed, so it is easy to miss a direction in adverse weather or nighttime.  Nightime driving on rural roads should be avoided if possible due to loose livestock.  Livestock is not generally a problem on larger paved roads and highways, except for deer and elk in the mountains, and antelope on the Eastern Plains.   If you must drive at  night,  drive slowly with good forward illumination and watch very carefully for cattle, horses, and other animals in the road.  You will find many enchanting adventures on almost any road, and in any village throughout the beautiful and interesting state of New Mexico.  Just be prepared for weather, animals, and distance, and the trip will be a rewarding one.