Climate snapshot for alpacas
90/100Alpaca climate comfort score
88°FAverage high, Aug
37°FAverage low, Dec
~34Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~27Frost nights per year
17 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in Jul–Aug
Advantages
- 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: Hot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61°F | 38°F | 3.9 in | 142 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 62°F | 39°F | 3.6 in | 142 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 65°F | 41°F | 3.0 in | 141 · ok | worms, grass |
| Apr | 70°F | 43°F | 1.1 in | 141 · ok | grass |
| May | 76°F | 47°F | 0.4 in | 130 · caution | — |
| Jun | 83°F | 52°F | 0.0 in | 119 · ok | — |
| Jul | 88°F | 57°F | 0.0 in | 116 · ok | — |
| Aug | 88°F | 56°F | 0.0 in | 120 · caution | — |
| Sep | 85°F | 54°F | 0.1 in | 124 · caution | — |
| Oct | 77°F | 48°F | 0.7 in | 119 · ok | — |
| Nov | 67°F | 41°F | 1.4 in | 130 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 60°F | 37°F | 2.9 in | 140 · 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 San Luis Obispo County, California
January 61° / 38°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- 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).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 62° / 39°F
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 65° / 41°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 70° / 43°F
- Secure winter hay: about 16 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 76° / 47°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Fly season: clean dung piles regularly and use traps around the barn.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 83° / 52°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 88° / 57°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- 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 88° / 56°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- 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.
September 85° / 54°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 77° / 48°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.
November 67° / 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.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 60° / 37°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).
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Sep–Dec (breed in Oct–Jan).
- Heat precautions: Jul–Aug.
- 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: Nov–Apr (about 6 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 San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo County, California?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. San Luis Obispo County, California scores 90/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat.
When should alpacas be shorn in San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo County, California?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Sep–Dec. For births then, breed females in Oct–Jan (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in San Luis Obispo County, California?
With roughly 6 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 766 lb (347 kg) — around 16 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in San Luis Obispo County, California?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Jul–Aug. We estimate about 34 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 35.388, -120.449 · land area 3,301 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to California.