Climate snapshot for alpacas
90/100Alpaca climate comfort score
73°FAverage high, Aug
31°FAverage low, Dec
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~83Frost nights per year
75 inAnnual precipitation
2Barber pole worm months
14Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 75 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat
- 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: 90/100 — 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 | 42°F | 32°F | 10.6 in | 126 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 44°F | 32°F | 7.4 in | 122 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 48°F | 34°F | 8.0 in | 116 · ok | — |
| Apr | 54°F | 37°F | 6.1 in | 112 · ok | grass |
| May | 61°F | 42°F | 4.3 in | 114 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 65°F | 47°F | 3.4 in | 114 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jul | 72°F | 52°F | 1.4 in | 110 · ok | grass |
| Aug | 73°F | 52°F | 1.6 in | 120 · ok | grass |
| Sep | 67°F | 48°F | 3.4 in | 117 · ok | worms, grass |
| Oct | 56°F | 41°F | 7.6 in | 117 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 46°F | 35°F | 11.4 in | 128 · ok | — |
| Dec | 40°F | 31°F | 10.3 in | 128 · 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 King County, Washington
January 42° / 32°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 44° / 32°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° / 34°F
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
April 54° / 37°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
May 61° / 42°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.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 65° / 47°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 72° / 52°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.
August 73° / 52°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.
September 67° / 48°F
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
October 56° / 41°F
- Secure winter hay: about 14 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).
November 46° / 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 40° / 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).
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, Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Dec–Feb — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: Apr–Oct (about 7 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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andina Alpacas | farm | 13 mi | — |
| Marketso Alpaca Ranch | farm | 14 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 King County, Washington?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. King County, Washington scores 90/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground and low selenium.
When should alpacas be shorn in King County, Washington?
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 King County, Washington?
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 King County, Washington?
With roughly 5 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 699 lb (317 kg) — around 14 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 47.491, -121.834 · land area 2,115 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Washington.