Climate in New Mexico. The two agencies were tasked with devising new rules to mitigate pollution and the effects of climate change as part of the efforts of the Climate Change Task Force created by Gov. study commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund, a letter to state regulators accompanying the group's public comments, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Michelle Lujan Grisham via executive orders in January 2019. southern and central regions. It is one of the Mountain States and shares the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Save New Mexico is a land of two climates, though both zones share a high, dry desert environment. State officials asserted the exemptions were made to protect less economical wells and operations from prohibitive economic burdens that could be caused by the new rules. The climate is dry and extreme weather conditions are rare. The most pleasant months of the year for New Mexico are May, September and August. New Mexico's climate is generally semiarid to arid, though areas of continental and alpine climates exist, and its territory is mostly covered by mountains, high plains, and desert. The study argued that NAAQS exceedance could stymie economic development, which could have a negative impact on the economy. The EDF’s analysis found 95 percent of producing wells in New Mexico fell into either of the two categories, so its cost analysis was conducted as if no exemptions were made to study if removing the exemptions would have an impact on New Mexico. “The next phase of this process will offer regulators an opportunity to better align the rules with existing industry practices, technologies, and innovations,” Flynn said. “Allowing flexible and efficient approaches will allow individual companies to assess their operations and prioritize projects, as necessary, for compliance,” Flynn wrote. 35°F (2°C) in the north to about 55°F (13°C) in the Conditions in the southern half of the state are noticeably warmer than the north. EMRND’s rules focused on eliminating waste from the emissions, particularly related to methane which is a valuable component of natural gas, while NMED’s rulemaking targeted specific reductions in pollution. With low humidity, averaging around 44 percent, and a … The Great Plains (High Plains) are in eastern New Mexico, similar to the Colorado high plains in eastern Colorado. (50°C), set most recently on 27 July 1994 at Lakewood; the record Elevations in the state range from 2,817 ft. at Red Bluff Lake in the southern Rio Grande Valley to 13,161 ft. on Wheeler Peak in north central New Mexico. These measures can impede economic development by requiring greater investment in pollution controls for expanded or new facilities,” the study read. Climate data and weather averages in Albuquerque. The highest mountains have climate characteristics common to the Rocky Mountains. during July and August, and thunderstorms are common in the summer. Weather in New Mexico. In comments submitted by the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA), the trade group argued the current draft of the rules would cost up to $4 billion, per a report NMOGA commissioned by economist firm John Dunham and Associates. (26°C) at high elevations to around 92°F (33°C) at lower A climate chart for your city, indicating the monthly high temperatures and rainfall. “Illnesses from air pollution can also result in other costs to society, such as medical costs and lost wages to treat and recover from the illness.”. But oil and gas industry leaders said the drafted rules as written went too far in restricting oil and gas operations and creating burdensome regulations. Get the New Mexico weather forecast. Climate change is altering fundamental weather patterns—affecting temperatures, water availability, and weather extremes—that shape the lives of New Mexicans. We are based at the main campus of New Mexico State University, where we work to provide climate related information to our local community. In New Mexico, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. Subscribe to the Carlsbad Current-Argus. New Mexico is 2nd only to Arizona in days of sunshine per year. The study estimated that with the expected levels of growth in Eddy and Lea counties, the areas could rise to more than 85 ppb and about 74 ppb respectively by 2021. The study also reported Such reductions in methane emissions would cause $12.3 billion in global climate benefits in the next decade. Southeast New Mexico and the Carlsbad and Hobbs areas were recently reported as having some of the highest ozone levels in the state, far above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of an average of 70 parts per billion ppb based on a three year average. Our interactive map allows you to see the local & national weather Although New Mexico’s average annual temperature is in the mid-50s F (about 12 °C), extremes can range from near 120 °F (about 48 °C) to the −50s F (about −46 °C).