October 2026 continued the trend so far in the fall of 2026 by being warmer and wetter than average. The monthly average temperature was 53.0 degrees, which was about 4.5 degrees above average, making it the 6th warmest on record. Overnight low temperatures were the main reason for the record warmth, as the average low of 38.8 degrees was 6.5 degrees above average, making the month the warmest on record for lows (previous record was in October 2015).
Rainfall totals for the month were about double the average amount and fairly uniform across the area, with amounts ranging from about 2.10 to 2.40 inches. The total rainfall at my northside location ended up at 2.29 inches, which was over an inch above the October average of 1.10 inches. The majority of the rain fell on just 4 days, from the 22nd to the 25th of the month.
The first 2 weeks of the month were warm and mostly dry, except for some showers on the 11th. Highs were in the mid 60s to upper 70s, with lows in the upper 30s to near 50 (with some record warm lows on the 11th and 12th). Cooler but still dry air moved in around mid month, with highs dropping into the 60s and lows falling to the mid 20s to mid 30s (with the first freeze of the season on the 15th).
A moist airmass moved into the region from the 22nd to the 25th, resulting in 4 straight days of rain along with 3 days of record warm lows. Highs were in the upper 50s and 60s and lows were in the upper 30s to mid 40s. Cooler and drier air then moved in for a few days during the last week, dropping lows down into 30s, with highs in the upper 50s to mid 60s. Another batch of moisture invaded the area on the 30th and 31st, bringing some light showers to the area.
The warmest high was 78 degrees on the 6th and 7th, while the coolest high was 56 degrees on the 25th. The warmest low was 52 degrees on the 11th (tying the record warm low for the day), while the coldest low was 24 degrees on the 17th.
Overall, wind speeds for the month were below average, with just 2 days of gusts 35 mph or higher. Strongest overall winds occurred on the 14th, with the highest gust for the month of 42 mph occurring on that day.
Here are the actual numbers for the month at my location…
Average Temp . . . . 53.0 degrees, +4.5 degrees above average (6th warmest)
Average High . . . . . 67.2 degrees, +2.5 degrees above average
Average Low. . . . . . 38.8 degrees, +6.5 degrees above average (1st warmest)
Total Rain . . . . . . . . 2.29 inches, +1.19 inches above average
OCT 2026 DAILY DATA for 4 NNW Taos
| DATE | HIGH | LOW | DAILY DEP. | MON. DEP. | RAIN | REMARK |
| 1 | 62 | 44 | -2.1 | -2.1 | ||
| 2 | 70 | 35 | -2.4 | -2.3 | ||
| 3 | 76 | 40 | +3.6 | -0.3 | ||
| 4 | 75 | 41 | +4.7 | +1.0 | ||
| 5 | 76 | 43 | +6.6 | +2.1 | ||
| 6 | 78 | 43 | +7.9 | +3.0 | ||
| 7 | 78 | 42 | +8.1 | +3.8 | ||
| 8 | 77 | 41 | +7.4 | +4.2 | ||
| 9 | 75 | 40 | +5.9 | +4.4 | ||
| 10 | 72 | 45 | +7.2 | +4.7 | ||
| 11 | 74 | 52* | +11.6 | +5.3 | 0.12″ | *Tied record warm low |
| 12 | 70 | 49* | +9.3 | +5.6 | *Record warm low | |
| 13 | 67 | 48 | +8.0 | +5.8 | ||
| 14 | 65 | 36 | +0.9 | +5.5 | T | |
| 15 | 63 | 29 | -3.1 | +4.9 | First freeze | |
| 16 | 62 | 26 | -4.7 | +4.3 | ||
| 17 | 64 | 24 | -4.7 | +3.8 | ||
| 18 | 66 | 26 | -1.7 | +3.5 | T | |
| 19 | 69 | 36 | +5.5 | +3.6 | ||
| 20 | 67 | 40 | +6.9 | +3.7 | ||
| 21 | 72 | 38 | +9.1 | +4.0 | 0.01″ | |
| 22 | 68 | 46* | +12.6 | +4.4 | 0.59″ | *Record warm low |
| 23 | 65 | 45* | +10.0 | +4.6 | 0.44″ | *Record warm low |
| 24 | 57 | 44* | +5.7 | +4.6 | 0.61″ | *Record warm low |
| 25 | 56 | 39 | +2.8 | +4.6 | 0.23″ | |
| 26 | 58 | 32 | +0.5 | +4.4 | ||
| 27 | 60 | 32 | +2.0 | +4.3 | ||
| 28 | 62 | 34 | +3.9 | +4.3 | ||
| 29 | 64 | 33 | +4.9 | +4.3 | ||
| 30 | 57 | 39 | +5.9 | +4.4 | 0.06″ | |
| 31 | 59 | 41 | +8.4 | +4.5 | 0.23″ | |
| AVGS/ TOTAL | 67.2 | 38.8 | 53.0 | +4.5 | 2.29″ |
DAILY DEP. – Departure from the long term daily average temperature
MON. DEP. – Cumulative departure from the long term monthly average temperature
T – Trace of rain
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