Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 56–75°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers73°F Lampasas8 AM CDT Light rain showers likely67°F Brownwood9:15 AM CDT Light rain showers likely66°F Sweetwater11 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers68°F Lubbock12:45 PM CDT Partly sunny65°F Plainview1:30 PM CDT Mostly cloudy65°F Amarillo2:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Texas–New Mexico line3:15 PM MDT Sunny75°F Springer5 PM MDT Mostly sunny74°F Bobcat Pass6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny56°F Red River6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny59°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–75°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers72°F Lampasas8 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers67°F Brownwood9:15 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers66°F Sweetwater11 AM CDT Mostly cloudy71°F Lubbock12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Plainview1:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny72°F Amarillo2:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny75°F Texas–New Mexico line3:15 PM MDT Sunny73°F Springer5 PM MDT Sunny71°F Bobcat Pass6:15 PM MDT Sunny54°F Red River6:30 PM MDT Sunny57°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 56–76°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Partly sunny70°F Lampasas8 AM CDT Partly sunny68°F Brownwood9:15 AM CDT Partly sunny67°F Sweetwater11 AM CDT Partly sunny72°F Lubbock12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny70°F Plainview1:30 PM CDT Sunny70°F Amarillo2:30 PM CDT Sunny75°F Texas–New Mexico line3:15 PM MDT Sunny76°F Springer5 PM MDT Sunny75°F Bobcat Pass6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny56°F Red River6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny58°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Lampasas8 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Brownwood9:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Sweetwater11 AM CDT Sunny76°F Lubbock12:45 PM CDT Sunny74°F Plainview1:30 PM CDT Sunny76°F Amarillo2:30 PM CDT Sunny80°F Texas–New Mexico line3:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny81°F Springer5 PM MDT Sunny79°F Bobcat Pass6:15 PM MDT Partly sunny54°F Red River6:30 PM MDT Partly sunny56°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Lampasas8 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Brownwood9:15 AM CDT Sunny66°F Sweetwater11 AM CDT Sunny79°F Lubbock12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny76°F Plainview1:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny78°F Amarillo2:30 PM CDT Sunny81°F Texas–New Mexico line3:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny80°F Springer5 PM MDT Sunny76°F Bobcat Pass6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny54°F Red River6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny56°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–82°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Lampasas8 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Brownwood9:15 AM CDT Sunny66°F Sweetwater11 AM CDT Sunny78°F Lubbock12:45 PM CDT Sunny77°F Plainview1:30 PM CDT Sunny79°F Amarillo2:30 PM CDT Sunny82°F Texas–New Mexico line3:15 PM MDT Sunny80°F Springer5 PM MDT Sunny75°F Bobcat Pass6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny54°F Red River6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny56°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 53–82°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Lampasas8 AM CDT Mostly sunny64°F Brownwood9:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Sweetwater11 AM CDT Sunny79°F Lubbock12:45 PM CDT Sunny77°F Plainview1:30 PM CDT Sunny79°F Amarillo2:30 PM CDT Sunny82°F Texas–New Mexico line3:15 PM MDT Sunny79°F Springer5 PM MDT Sunny74°F Bobcat Pass6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny53°F Red River6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny55°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Austin (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Austin, TXStart 535 ftelevation
- Lampasas, TXMile 68 · 1 h 5 min 1,032 ftelevation
- Brownwood, TXMile 139 · 2 h 17 min 1,338 ftelevation
- Sweetwater, TXMile 249 · 4 h 3 min 2,170 ftelevation
- Lubbock, TXMile 372 · 5 h 50 min 3,196 ftelevation
- Plainview, TXMile 419 · 6 h 30 min 3,363 ftelevation
- Amarillo, TXMile 492 · 7 h 36 min 3,665 ftelevation
- Texas–New Mexico lineState line · Mile 606 · 9 h 20 min 4,744 ftelevation
- Springer, NMMile 697 · 10 h 58 min 5,798 ftelevation
- Bobcat Pass, NMMountain pass · Mile 759 · 12 h 17 min 9,810 ftelevation
- Red River, NMMile 764 · 12 h 26 min 8,648 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Austin, Bobcat Pass and Red River.
| Month | Austin 670 ft | Bobcat Pass Red River station · 8,667 ft | Red River 8,667 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 63° / 42° | 0 | 35° / 7° | 5.5 | 35° / 7° | 5.5 |
| Feb | 67° / 46° | 0 | 37° / 9° | 7.2 | 37° / 9° | 7.2 |
| Mar | 73° / 52° | 0 | 45° / 16° | 6.7 | 45° / 16° | 6.7 |
| Apr | 80° / 59° | 0 | 52° / 23° | 4.7 | 52° / 23° | 4.7 |
| May | 87° / 67° | 0 | 62° / 30° | 1.3 | 62° / 30° | 1.3 |
| Jun | 93° / 73° | 0 | 72° / 36° | 0 | 72° / 36° | 0 |
| Jul | 97° / 75° | 0 | 75° / 42° | 0 | 75° / 42° | 0 |
| Aug | 98° / 75° | 0 | 72° / 40° | 0 | 72° / 40° | 0 |
| Sep | 91° / 70° | 0 | 68° / 34° | 0 | 68° / 34° | 0 |
| Oct | 83° / 61° | 0 | 56° / 25° | 2.2 | 56° / 25° | 2.2 |
| Nov | 72° / 51° | 0 | 44° / 16° | 4.8 | 44° / 16° | 4.8 |
| Dec | 64° / 43° | 0 | 35° / 8° | 5.9 | 35° / 8° | 5.9 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: AUSTIN-CAMP MABRY (USW00013958, 670 ft); RED RIVER (USC00297323, 8,667 ft); RED RIVER (USC00297323, 8,667 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Texas and New Mexico rather than repeat them.
- Texas · TxDOTDriveTexas road conditions
- New Mexico · NMDOTNMRoads conditions and cameras
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Austin to Red River with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Austin to Red River?
764 miles, about 12 hours of driving without stops, by way of US-84 and I-27. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Bobcat Pass, at 9,810 ft. It comes at mile 759, about 12 h 17 min of driving after you leave Austin.
Does it snow at Bobcat Pass in November?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Red River (8,667 ft), averages 19.0 inches of snow in November, with about 5 days of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is Red River in January?
Red River averages a high of 35°F and a low of 7°F in January (1991–2020 normals).