Climate snapshot for alpacas
98/100Alpaca climate comfort score
84°FAverage high, Jul
37°FAverage low, Dec
~11Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~34Frost nights per year
52 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
14Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 52 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: 98/100 — 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 | 53°F | 38°F | 9.9 in | 134 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 56°F | 38°F | 8.7 in | 136 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 59°F | 39°F | 7.6 in | 134 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | 134 · ok | grass |
| May | 69°F | 45°F | 1.9 in | 123 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 76°F | 50°F | 0.5 in | 112 · ok | — |
| Jul | 84°F | 54°F | 0.0 in | 112 · ok | — |
| Aug | 84°F | 54°F | 0.1 in | 115 · ok | — |
| Sep | 81°F | 51°F | 0.3 in | 119 · ok | — |
| Oct | 71°F | 46°F | 2.5 in | 114 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 59°F | 40°F | 5.6 in | 122 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 52°F | 37°F | 10.8 in | 132 · 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 Mendocino County, California
January 53° / 38°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.
February 56° / 38°F
- 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).
March 59° / 39°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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 62° / 40°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).
May 69° / 45°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 76° / 50°F
- 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.
July 84° / 54°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 84° / 54°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 81° / 51°F
- 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.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 71° / 46°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
November 59° / 40°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 52° / 37°F
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Feb–May (breed in Mar–Jun).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Jan–May, Oct–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
No alpaca farms near Mendocino County, California 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 Mendocino County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Mendocino County, California scores 98/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Mendocino 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 Mendocino County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Feb–May. For births then, breed females in Mar–Jun (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Mendocino 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 39.432, -123.443 · land area 3,507 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.