Climate snapshot for alpacas
90/100Alpaca climate comfort score
80°FAverage high, Jul
35°FAverage low, Dec
~3Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~52Frost nights per year
76 inAnnual precipitation
2Barber pole worm months
14Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 76 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat
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: 90/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Warm-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 36°F | 12.8 in | 129 · ok | — |
| Feb | 51°F | 35°F | 9.8 in | 132 · ok | — |
| Mar | 54°F | 36°F | 10.2 in | 130 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 58°F | 38°F | 6.8 in | 130 · ok | grass |
| May | 66°F | 42°F | 3.5 in | 119 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 73°F | 47°F | 1.4 in | 108 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 80°F | 53°F | 0.3 in | 108 · ok | — |
| Aug | 80°F | 53°F | 0.4 in | 112 · ok | — |
| Sep | 76°F | 50°F | 1.2 in | 114 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 65°F | 44°F | 4.9 in | 107 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 53°F | 39°F | 9.9 in | 116 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 47°F | 35°F | 15.2 in | 127 · ok | — |
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 Del Norte County, California
January 48° / 36°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 51° / 35°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 54° / 36°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 58° / 38°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.
May 66° / 42°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.
June 73° / 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.
July 80° / 53°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).
- 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 80° / 53°F
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- 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 76° / 50°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 65° / 44°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
November 53° / 39°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 47° / 35°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: May.
- Best months for crias to be born: Apr–Jul (breed in May–Aug).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: May, Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laughing Alpaca Campground + RV Park | farm | 31 mi | — |
| Laughing Alpaca Campground + RV Park | farm | 31 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 Del Norte County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Del Norte County, California scores 90/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Del Norte County, California?
Plan shearing for May, 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 Del Norte County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Apr–Jul. For births then, breed females in May–Aug (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Del Norte 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 41.750, -123.981 · land area 1,006 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.