Taos has over 300 days of sunshine a year as well as great weather just about all the time.The hottest it ever gets during the summer is generally 90 degrees, the coldest it gets at night, even during the winter, is 0 degrees or so. The days are generally sunny and the humidity is just about non-existant. The clear mountain air allows you to see vistas 70 to 100 miles away on a normal day.

Having said that, it is also important to understand that the mountains surrounding Taos can have life threatening weather even in the summertime. The temperature in the mountains will always be at least 15 to 20 degrees cooler than in town. Afternoon summer mountain thunderstorms are the norm. These storms can cause the temperature to plummet in minutes, changing a bright sunny afternoon into one filled with thunder and lightning, and even snow. Always bring emergency foul weather gear with you when venturing into the mountains, even if you are only going on the little hike to Williams Lake. It is actually a pretty good idea to try to be down out of the mountains by 1o'clock in the afternoon during the summer. Getting struck by lightning when you are up above the tree line is a real possibility during the summer. You will hear all kinds of folks say that they have been up there and that there was no problem at all. The same folks also say that they drive without seatbelts and have never had a problem.

Now, for the good news. Virtually no one in Taos has air conditioning. The combination of low humidity, summer  highs generally in the 80's, and cool nights makes air conditioning unnecessary. You should never go out to dinner in the evening in the summer without wearing long pants and having a jacket with you. As soon as the sun begins to go down things cools off rapidly. Likewise, in the morning, the day starts off cool and then heats up to its 2p.m. peak. Taos tends to get daily afternoon thunderstorms, called monsoons, in July and August. These intense thunderstorms frequently have torrential rain. However after the storm the temperature has cooled down dramatically, the rainbows come out, and the sunset is phenominal.

The most perfect weather is in September and early October. The days are cooler and the nights are getting crisper. The mountains will frequently have their first dusting of snow by mid-October. The daytime weather can be balmy right into December.

January, February and March still have wonderful weather. The Ski Valley may get two or three feet of snow, while down here in the valley it only gets two or three inches of the white stuff. Taos and Taos Ski Valley have a wonderfully efficient snow removal program for the roads. The road up to the Ski Valley is rarely if ever closed, and then only for an hour or so to allow removal. In the valley the roads are normally cleared within an hour or so of the end of the storm.

April, May and June are Spring. Its difficult to predict the weather. In the past 10 years it has snowed three times on Memorial Day weekend. And the temperatures have approached 90 degrees on Memorial Day. Go figure. Just know that Taos has absolutely gorgeous weather any time of the year.