Often rain evaporates before reaching the ground, forming virga
NPS Photo/Melissa Weih
Watching weather from the top of Capulin Volcano is often very interesting. While clear days with blue skies can allow visitors to see landmarks up to 90 miles away, a change of the weather can lead to a different view as clouds cast shadows on the prairie around the volcano. All types of clouds from sirrus to stratus and cumulus to mammatus can be seen from the top of Capulin Volcano during different seasons. With an average annual precipitation of around 16 to 17 inches (400 to 430 mm) per year, Capulin sees the most moisture in July, and virga, or rain that evaporates before touching the ground, is a common sight during the summer months.
Lightning can be seen flashing across the sky during afternoons in the summer
NPS Photo
Summer precipitation is often accompanied by thunderstorms that will built near or on top of the volcano. Building mainly in the afternoon around 2 o'clock, these thunderstorms often have cloud to ground lightning, and therefore, the park will close the top of the volcano to access for visitors' safety whenever lightning is spotted within 10 miles. In addition to lightning, these thunderstorms are sometimes accompanied by hail and strong winds as well as heavy precipitation that occasionally causes cinder slides and temporary closures of the road. Other than during the storms, summer temperatures are never too hot and often variable, with highs in the low 90s F (30s C) during the day and lows in the 40s and 50s F (5-10 C) at night.
Jose Butte and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains peak out above cloud cover on a chilly winter day
NPS Photo/Melissa Weih
While summers bring rain and warmer temperatures, winters bring colder weather sometimes accompanied by snow, ice, and freezing fog. Winter temperatures average around the 40s and 50s F (5-10 C) for the highs during sunny days and 10s and 20s F (-12 to -6 C) for the lows during the night. Occasional snow or ice storms cause temporary closures of the road, although the sun usually melts off most of the snow within a few days. The top of the volcano is also sometimes covered with a layer of low-lying clouds which causes freezing fog if the temperatures are cold enough. Though the fog does obstruct the views, it also causes the vegetation and structures at the top of the volcano to be coated with inch thick rime ice, turning the top of the volcano into a sparkling winter wonderland when the fog lifts and the sun comes out.
Though summers and winters bring their own weather patterns, the spring and fall seasons can be a mix of warm summer storms and winter cold fronts. Spring is usually the windy season with regular high wind advisories and warnings and average wind speeds of 20-35 mph (32-56 km/h). Fall is also occasionally windy and ground fog or low lying clouds sometimes cover the top of the volano, drifting into and out of the crater. No matter the season, its always a good idea to check the weather before visiting and bring a variety of warm layers of clothing.
