Climate snapshot for alpacas
55/100Alpaca climate comfort score
101°FAverage high, Jul
41°FAverage low, Dec
~123Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~8Frost nights per year
8 inAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
18Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Heat & humidity — dangerous heat-stress conditions in Jun–Sep
- Dry climate — only 8 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: 55/100 — Fair on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Hot desert (Köppen BWh).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 42°F | 1.6 in | 146 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 67°F | 44°F | 1.8 in | 148 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 73°F | 48°F | 1.1 in | 148 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 79°F | 52°F | 0.4 in | 150 · high | — |
| May | 86°F | 59°F | 0.1 in | 140 · caution | — |
| Jun | 96°F | 66°F | 0.0 in | 132 · caution | — |
| Jul | 101°F | 73°F | 0.2 in | 129 · caution | — |
| Aug | 100°F | 73°F | 0.3 in | 132 · caution | — |
| Sep | 95°F | 67°F | 0.3 in | 134 · caution | — |
| Oct | 84°F | 57°F | 0.3 in | 126 · caution | — |
| Nov | 72°F | 47°F | 0.5 in | 136 · ok | — |
| Dec | 63°F | 41°F | 1.2 in | 143 · 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 Riverside County, California
January 65° / 42°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 67° / 44°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.
March 73° / 48°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 79° / 52°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
May 86° / 59°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.
June 96° / 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.
- 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 101° / 73°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.
- 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 100° / 73°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.
- 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 95° / 67°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.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- 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 84° / 57°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- 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 72° / 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).
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 63° / 41°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).
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Oct–Jan (breed in Nov–Feb).
- Heat precautions: Apr, Jun–Sep; dangerous heat in Jun–Sep.
- Barber pole worm: low transmission risk on average — still run fecal egg counts in spring and autumn.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Dec–Mar (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 Riverside 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 Riverside County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Riverside County, California scores 55/100 (fair) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are heat & humidity and dry climate.
When should alpacas be shorn in Riverside 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 Riverside County, California?
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 Riverside 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.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Riverside County, California?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Apr, Jun–Sep. We estimate about 123 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 33.730, -116.002 · land area 7,209 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.