Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 64–73°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers73°F Llano8:30 AM CDT Rain showers likely68°F Brady9:15 AM CDT Light rain showers likely65°F San Angelo10:30 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers66°F Big Spring11:45 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers67°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Partly sunny64°F Roswell2:30 PM MDT Partly sunny71°F Ruidoso3:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny64°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 64–76°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers72°F Llano8:30 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers68°F Brady9:15 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers64°F San Angelo10:30 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers68°F Big Spring11:45 AM CDT Partly sunny71°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny73°F Roswell2:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny76°F Ruidoso3:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny64°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 65–77°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Partly sunny70°F Llano8:30 AM CDT Partly sunny68°F Brady9:15 AM CDT Partly sunny65°F San Angelo10:30 AM CDT Partly sunny68°F Big Spring11:45 AM CDT Partly sunny71°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny72°F Roswell2:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny77°F Ruidoso3:45 PM MDT Slight chance of thunderstorms67°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Llano8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Brady9:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny64°F San Angelo10:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Big Spring11:45 AM CDT Sunny74°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny77°F Roswell2:30 PM MDT Sunny81°F Ruidoso3:45 PM MDT Sunny72°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–82°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Llano8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Brady9:15 AM CDT Sunny64°F San Angelo10:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny68°F Big Spring11:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny77°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny78°F Roswell2:30 PM MDT Sunny82°F Ruidoso3:45 PM MDT Sunny72°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–82°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Llano8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Brady9:15 AM CDT Sunny64°F San Angelo10:30 AM CDT Sunny69°F Big Spring11:45 AM CDT Sunny78°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny79°F Roswell2:30 PM MDT Sunny82°F Ruidoso3:45 PM MDT Sunny70°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 64–82°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Austin7 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Llano8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny64°F Brady9:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F San Angelo10:30 AM CDT Sunny70°F Big Spring11:45 AM CDT Sunny79°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny78°F Roswell2:30 PM MDT Sunny82°F Ruidoso3:45 PM MDT Sunny70°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
- Llano, TXMile 75 · 1 h 25 min 980 ftelevation
- Brady, TXMile 129 · 2 h 14 min 1,705 ftelevation
- San Angelo, TXMile 206 · 3 h 29 min 1,847 ftelevation
- Big Spring, TXMile 300 · 4 h 52 min 2,435 ftelevation
- Texas–New Mexico lineState line · Mile 425 · 6 h 47 min 3,792 ftelevation
- Roswell, NMMile 512 · 8 h 30 min 3,574 ftelevation
- Ruidoso, NMMile 586 · 9 h 52 min 6,732 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Austin, Roswell and Ruidoso.
| Month | Austin 670 ft | Roswell 3,649 ft | Ruidoso 6,930 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 63° / 42° | 0 | 57° / 28° | 0.7 | 49° / 21° | 2.0 |
| Feb | 67° / 46° | 0 | 63° / 33° | 0.4 | 51° / 23° | 1.8 |
| Mar | 73° / 52° | 0 | 71° / 39° | 0.2 | 58° / 27° | 1.1 |
| Apr | 80° / 59° | 0 | 79° / 47° | 0 | 65° / 33° | 0.3 |
| May | 87° / 67° | 0 | 88° / 57° | 0 | 73° / 40° | 0 |
| Jun | 93° / 73° | 0 | 96° / 66° | 0 | 82° / 47° | 0 |
| Jul | 97° / 75° | 0 | 97° / 70° | 0 | 81° / 51° | 0 |
| Aug | 98° / 75° | 0 | 95° / 69° | 0 | 79° / 50° | 0 |
| Sep | 91° / 70° | 0 | 88° / 61° | 0 | 75° / 44° | 0 |
| Oct | 83° / 61° | 0 | 78° / 49° | 0.1 | 67° / 35° | 0.3 |
| Nov | 72° / 51° | 0 | 66° / 36° | 0.4 | 56° / 26° | 0.7 |
| Dec | 64° / 43° | 0 | 57° / 28° | 1.0 | 48° / 22° | 2.2 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: AUSTIN-CAMP MABRY (USW00013958, 670 ft); ROSWELL IND AIR PK (USW00023009, 3,649 ft); RUIDOSO (USC00297649, 6,930 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 Ruidoso 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 Ruidoso?
586 miles, about 10 hours of driving without stops, by way of US-87 and US-380. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Ruidoso, at 6,732 ft. It comes at mile 586, about 9 h 52 min of driving after you leave Austin.
Does it snow at Ruidoso in November?
Ruidoso averages 1.8 inches of snow in November, with about one day of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).