Climate snapshot for alpacas
56/100Alpaca climate comfort score
100°FAverage high, Jul
37°FAverage low, Dec
~135Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~19Frost nights per year
11 inAnnual precipitation
2Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jun–Aug
- Dry climate — only 11 in of rain — irrigated pasture or year-round hay
Advantages
- Practically frost-free winters
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 56/100 — Fair on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Hot semi-arid (Köppen BSh).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°F | 38°F | 1.0 in | 128 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 68°F | 40°F | 1.0 in | 132 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 74°F | 44°F | 0.8 in | 134 · ok | — |
| Apr | 82°F | 50°F | 0.3 in | 119 · ok | — |
| May | 90°F | 57°F | 0.1 in | 109 · ok | — |
| Jun | 99°F | 66°F | 0.2 in | 125 · caution | — |
| Jul | 100°F | 72°F | 2.0 in | 130 · caution | worms, grass |
| Aug | 98°F | 71°F | 2.4 in | 141 · caution | worms, grass |
| Sep | 95°F | 66°F | 1.2 in | 123 · caution | grass |
| Oct | 86°F | 55°F | 0.6 in | 118 · ok | — |
| Nov | 74°F | 44°F | 0.7 in | 114 · ok | — |
| Dec | 65°F | 37°F | 1.1 in | 97 · ok | grass |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: NOAA nClimDiv 1991–2020 county normals.
Alpaca care calendar for Pima County, Arizona
January 66° / 38°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 68° / 40°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Secure winter hay: about 16 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
March 74° / 44°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 82° / 50°F
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 90° / 57°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 99° / 66°F
- Dangerous heat: provide shade, fans and ground-level sprinklers or wading pools; check the herd twice daily and avoid all handling or transport in the afternoon.
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
July 100° / 72°F
- Dangerous heat: provide shade, fans and ground-level sprinklers or wading pools; check the herd twice daily and avoid all handling or transport in the afternoon.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 98° / 71°F
- Dangerous heat: provide shade, fans and ground-level sprinklers or wading pools; check the herd twice daily and avoid all handling or transport in the afternoon.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
September 95° / 66°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 86° / 55°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Dry pasture: supplement with hay as grass goes dormant; keep water troughs clean and full.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 74° / 44°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 65° / 37°F
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Oct–Jan (breed in Nov–Feb).
- Heat precautions: May–Sep; dangerous heat in Jun–Aug.
- Barber pole worm season: Jul–Aug — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Dec–Feb, Jul–Sep (about 6 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is not established in this region.
- Selenium: Selenium levels vary across the state. Test hay or blood before changing supplements.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Pima County, Arizona are mapped on OpenStreetMap yet. If you keep alpacas here, consider adding your farm to OpenStreetMap — it will appear on this page after the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Pima County, Arizona?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Pima County, Arizona scores 56/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and dry climate.
When should alpacas be shorn in Pima County, Arizona?
Plan shearing for March, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Pima County, Arizona?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Oct–Jan. For births then, breed females in Nov–Feb (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Pima County, Arizona?
With roughly 6 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 766 lb (347 kg) — around 16 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Pima County, Arizona?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May–Sep. We estimate about 135 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 32.128, -111.784 · land area 9,189 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Arizona.