Albuquerque sits in the Rio Grande valley of central New Mexico, at the foot of the Sandia Mountains at around 1,600 metres above sea level, at approximately 35.08°N, 106.65°W. Its high desert setting gives it a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) — hot, dry summers and cool, sunny winters — with a pronounced summer monsoon.

Summer, from June to August, is hot and dry, with July the hottest month — average highs around 33–34°C — though the altitude and very low humidity make the heat dry and the nights cool sharply. From July to September the North American monsoon brings dramatic afternoon thunderstorms, spectacular lightning over the Sandias, and brief flash floods in the arroyos.

Winter, from December to February, is cool, dry and brilliantly sunny, with January the coolest month — average highs around 9–10°C and nights near -6°C, with frost frequent. Snow falls occasionally in the city and often on the Sandia Mountains above; days are crisp and clear, with over 280 sunny days a year.

Albuquerque is very dry, receiving only around 230–250 mm of precipitation a year — desert levels — with a pronounced July-to-September maximum from the monsoon and very little the rest of the year. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Albuquerque's altitude of over 1,600 metres gives it a milder version of the desert climate — hot summer days that cool sharply at night, and cold, brilliantly sunny winters. The North American monsoon of July to September is the year's defining event, bringing the towering thunderheads and dramatic light for which the high desert is famous.

To follow any single measurement in Albuquerque more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.