Climate snapshot for alpacas
98/100Alpaca climate comfort score
82°FAverage high, Aug
22°FAverage low, Dec
~5Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~157Frost nights per year
25 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
17Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Low selenium — regional soils and hay tend to be selenium-deficient
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: 98/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Mediterranean-influenced warm-summer continental (Köppen Dsb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 23°F | 2.3 in | 121 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 41°F | 24°F | 2.1 in | 124 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 48°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 122 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 54°F | 33°F | 2.8 in | 126 · ok | — |
| May | 63°F | 40°F | 2.9 in | 133 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 70°F | 45°F | 2.4 in | 122 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jul | 81°F | 51°F | 0.9 in | 123 · caution | grass |
| Aug | 82°F | 50°F | 0.8 in | 125 · caution | — |
| Sep | 72°F | 43°F | 1.1 in | 124 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 57°F | 35°F | 2.0 in | 109 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 43°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 121 · ok | frost |
| Dec | 35°F | 22°F | 2.5 in | 115 · 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 Lewis County, Idaho
January 36° / 23°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 41° / 24°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 48° / 28°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- 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.
April 54° / 33°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
May 63° / 40°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 70° / 45°F
- 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).
July 81° / 51°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.
- 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.
- Secure winter hay: about 17 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 82° / 50°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.
- 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.
September 72° / 43°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 57° / 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).
November 43° / 28°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.
December 35° / 22°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: May–Aug (breed in Jun–Sep).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: Jun — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Nov–Mar — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: May–Jul, Sep–Oct (about 5 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm is not established in this region.
- Selenium: Soils and hay in this state are often selenium-deficient. Use a camelid mineral formulated for low-selenium areas and blood-test a few animals each year.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Lewis County, Idaho 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 Lewis County, Idaho?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Lewis County, Idaho scores 98/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are low selenium.
When should alpacas be shorn in Lewis County, Idaho?
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 Lewis County, Idaho?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is May–Aug. For births then, breed females in Jun–Sep (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Lewis County, Idaho?
With roughly 7 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 833 lb (378 kg) — around 17 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 46.236, -116.424 · land area 479 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Idaho.