Climate snapshot for alpacas
98/100Alpaca climate comfort score
86°FAverage high, Jul
40°FAverage low, Dec
~23Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~12Frost nights per year
19 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
14Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 98/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Hot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 40°F | 3.9 in | 137 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 60°F | 42°F | 3.6 in | 141 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 65°F | 45°F | 2.9 in | 140 · ok | worms, grass |
| Apr | 69°F | 47°F | 1.4 in | 141 · ok | grass |
| May | 75°F | 51°F | 0.6 in | 129 · caution | — |
| Jun | 82°F | 55°F | 0.1 in | 118 · ok | — |
| Jul | 86°F | 58°F | 0.0 in | 114 · ok | — |
| Aug | 86°F | 58°F | 0.0 in | 118 · ok | — |
| Sep | 84°F | 57°F | 0.1 in | 123 · caution | — |
| Oct | 76°F | 52°F | 0.9 in | 118 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 64°F | 45°F | 2.0 in | 127 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 56°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | 136 · 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 Contra Costa County, California
January 56° / 40°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.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 60° / 42°F
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- 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).
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 65° / 45°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- 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.
April 69° / 47°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).
- Secure winter hay: about 14 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 75° / 51°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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.
June 82° / 55°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.
July 86° / 58°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 86° / 58°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.
September 84° / 57°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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.
October 76° / 52°F
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
November 64° / 45°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 56° / 40°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Jan–Apr (breed in Feb–May).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: Mar — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Oct–Apr (about 7 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
Places mapped on OpenStreetMap with “alpaca” in their name, within about 80 km (50 miles). Contact them before visiting — opening times change.
| Name | Type | Distance | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpaca Fashion | shop | 26 mi | — |
| Mad Alpaca Games · Davis | shop | 45 mi | — |
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Know a farm that's missing? Add it to OpenStreetMap and it will appear here in the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Contra Costa County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Contra Costa County, California scores 98/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Contra Costa County, California?
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 Contra Costa County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Jan–Apr. For births then, breed females in Feb–May (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Contra Costa County, California?
With roughly 5 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 699 lb (317 kg) — around 14 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 37.919, -121.952 · land area 717 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.