Climate snapshot for alpacas
65/100Alpaca climate comfort score
89°FAverage high, Jul
31°FAverage low, Jan
~30Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~52Frost nights per year
49 inAnnual precipitation
7Barber pole worm months
12Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in May, Jul–Sep
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (Apr–Oct)
- Meningeal worm — white-tailed deer parasite is established in this region
- Low selenium — regional soils and hay tend to be selenium-deficient
Advantages
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- A long grazing season (9 months of grass growth)
Overall rating: 65/100 — Good on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 31°F | 3.5 in | 117 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 52°F | 32°F | 2.9 in | 118 · ok | — |
| Mar | 59°F | 39°F | 4.1 in | 122 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 70°F | 48°F | 3.6 in | 133 · ok | worms, grass |
| May | 77°F | 57°F | 3.8 in | 151 · high | worms, grass |
| Jun | 85°F | 66°F | 4.5 in | 147 · caution | worms, grass |
| Jul | 89°F | 70°F | 5.3 in | 163 · high | worms, grass |
| Aug | 87°F | 69°F | 5.1 in | 161 · high | worms, grass |
| Sep | 81°F | 64°F | 5.1 in | 161 · high | worms, grass |
| Oct | 71°F | 52°F | 4.0 in | 141 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 61°F | 41°F | 3.1 in | 130 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 53°F | 34°F | 3.6 in | 122 · 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 York County, Virginia
January 49° / 31°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.
February 52° / 32°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- 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.
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- 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.
April 70° / 48°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- 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 77° / 57°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 85° / 66°F
- Warm spells possible — watch for open-mouth breathing in heavy-fleeced or dark animals.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
July 89° / 70°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 87° / 69°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
September 81° / 64°F
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 71° / 52°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
November 61° / 41°F
- Meningeal worm risk: keep alpacas off wet wooded edges and watch for hind-leg weakness; discuss prevention with your vet.
- Secure winter hay: about 12 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 53° / 34°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).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: March.
- Best months for crias to be born: Mar–Apr (breed in Apr–May).
- Heat precautions: May, Jul–Sep.
- Barber pole worm season: Apr–Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Jan — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Mar–Nov (about 9 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm (carried by white-tailed deer) is established in this region and is a leading cause of neurological disease in alpacas. Talk to your vet about a prevention plan for the snail season.
- 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
Places mapped on OpenStreetMap with “alpaca” in their name, within about 80 km (50 miles). Contact them before visiting — opening times change.
| Name | Type | Distance | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Wire Farm Alpacas · Toano | farm | 26 mi | — |
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Know a farm that's missing? Add it to OpenStreetMap and it will appear here in the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in York County, Virginia?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. York County, Virginia scores 65/100 (good) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat, barber pole worm and meningeal worm.
When should alpacas be shorn in York County, Virginia?
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 York County, Virginia?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Mar–Apr. For births then, breed females in Apr–May (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in York County, Virginia?
With roughly 3 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 565 lb (256 kg) — around 12 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in York County, Virginia?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in May, Jul–Sep. We estimate about 30 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Nearby counties
Coordinates 37.221, -76.396 · land area 105 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Virginia.