Climate snapshot for alpacas
92/100Alpaca climate comfort score
72°FAverage high, Aug
29°FAverage low, Dec
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~103Frost nights per year
80 inAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
16Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Wet ground — 80 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: 92/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Oceanic (temperate) (Köppen Cfb).
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 30°F | 11.7 in | 123 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 42°F | 30°F | 7.5 in | 120 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 46°F | 32°F | 8.7 in | 114 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 53°F | 36°F | 5.7 in | 111 · ok | — |
| May | 60°F | 41°F | 3.9 in | 113 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 64°F | 46°F | 3.1 in | 113 · ok | grass |
| Jul | 71°F | 50°F | 1.6 in | 108 · ok | grass |
| Aug | 72°F | 51°F | 1.8 in | 119 · ok | grass |
| Sep | 65°F | 47°F | 3.9 in | 116 · ok | worms, grass |
| Oct | 53°F | 40°F | 8.4 in | 115 · ok | grass |
| Nov | 43°F | 34°F | 12.6 in | 125 · ok | — |
| Dec | 38°F | 29°F | 11.1 in | 125 · 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 Skagit County, Washington
January 39° / 30°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 42° / 30°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 46° / 32°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 53° / 36°F
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
May 60° / 41°F
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- 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 64° / 46°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).
July 71° / 50°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 72° / 51°F
- 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.
- 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 65° / 47°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 53° / 40°F
- Secure winter hay: about 16 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 43° / 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).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 38° / 29°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: Sep — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Dec–Mar — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Oct–Mar.
- Grazing season: May–Oct (about 6 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 Skagit County, Washington 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 Skagit County, Washington?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Skagit County, Washington scores 92/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are wet ground and low selenium.
When should alpacas be shorn in Skagit 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 Skagit 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 Skagit County, Washington?
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.
Nearby counties
Coordinates 48.493, -121.816 · land area 1,730 sq mi. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to Washington.