Climate snapshot for alpacas
96/100Alpaca climate comfort score
85°FAverage high, Jul
30°FAverage low, Dec
~13Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~90Frost nights per year
51 inAnnual precipitation
2Barber pole worm months
18Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 51 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 96/100 — 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 | 30°F | 8.9 in | 129 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 50°F | 31°F | 8.5 in | 131 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 54°F | 33°F | 7.7 in | 130 · ok | — |
| Apr | 59°F | 36°F | 4.2 in | 131 · ok | grass |
| May | 68°F | 43°F | 2.7 in | 121 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 77°F | 49°F | 0.8 in | 113 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 85°F | 55°F | 0.1 in | 113 · ok | — |
| Aug | 84°F | 54°F | 0.2 in | 116 · ok | — |
| Sep | 79°F | 50°F | 0.6 in | 118 · ok | — |
| Oct | 68°F | 42°F | 2.8 in | 110 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 55°F | 35°F | 5.3 in | 118 · ok | — |
| Dec | 47°F | 30°F | 9.5 in | 127 · ok | frost |
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 Nevada County, California
January 48° / 30°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 50° / 31°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 54° / 33°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 59° / 36°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.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
May 68° / 43°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 77° / 49°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 18 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 85° / 55°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 84° / 54°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 79° / 50°F
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 68° / 42°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
November 55° / 35°F
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 47° / 30°F
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- 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.
- Freezing nights: Dec–Feb — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Apr–Jun, Oct (about 4 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 Nevada 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 Nevada County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Nevada County, California scores 96/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Nevada 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 Nevada 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 Nevada County, California?
With roughly 8 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 900 lb (408 kg) — around 18 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 39.298, -120.771 · land area 958 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.