Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 60–78°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Houston7 AM CDT Partly sunny78°F Columbus8:15 AM CDT Partly sunny72°F Seguin9:30 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers74°F Kerrville10:45 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers68°F Ozona12:45 PM CDT Chance of light rain showers69°F Fort Stockton2:15 PM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers69°F Texas–New Mexico line2:45 PM MDT Partly sunny72°F Carlsbad3:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny73°F Roswell5 PM MDT Mostly sunny72°F Ruidoso6:15 PM MDT Partly sunny60°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 59–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Houston7 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers77°F Columbus8:15 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers70°F Seguin9:30 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers73°F Kerrville10:45 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers68°F Ozona12:45 PM CDT Partly sunny73°F Fort Stockton2:15 PM CDT Mostly cloudy75°F Texas–New Mexico line2:45 PM MDT Partly sunny79°F Carlsbad3:30 PM MDT Partly sunny80°F Roswell5 PM MDT Mostly sunny77°F Ruidoso6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny59°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–79°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Houston7 AM CDT Mostly cloudy75°F Columbus8:15 AM CDT Partly sunny71°F Seguin9:30 AM CDT Partly sunny73°F Kerrville10:45 AM CDT Partly sunny70°F Ozona12:45 PM CDT Partly sunny73°F Fort Stockton2:15 PM CDT Partly sunny76°F Texas–New Mexico line2:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny79°F Carlsbad3:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny79°F Roswell5 PM MDT Sunny77°F Ruidoso6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny63°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 66–84°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Houston7 AM CDT Mostly sunny72°F Columbus8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny68°F Seguin9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny70°F Kerrville10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny69°F Ozona12:45 PM CDT Sunny75°F Fort Stockton2:15 PM CDT Sunny83°F Texas–New Mexico line2:45 PM MDT Sunny84°F Carlsbad3:30 PM MDT Sunny84°F Roswell5 PM MDT Sunny82°F Ruidoso6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny66°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 66–86°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Houston7 AM CDT Sunny70°F Columbus8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Seguin9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny69°F Kerrville10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Ozona12:45 PM CDT Sunny78°F Fort Stockton2:15 PM CDT Sunny86°F Texas–New Mexico line2:45 PM MDT Sunny86°F Carlsbad3:30 PM MDT Sunny86°F Roswell5 PM MDT Sunny83°F Ruidoso6:15 PM MDT Sunny66°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 65–86°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Houston7 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Columbus8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny68°F Seguin9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Kerrville10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny70°F Ozona12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny77°F Fort Stockton2:15 PM CDT Sunny86°F Texas–New Mexico line2:45 PM MDT Sunny86°F Carlsbad3:30 PM MDT Sunny86°F Roswell5 PM MDT Sunny82°F Ruidoso6:15 PM MDT Sunny65°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 64–86°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Houston7 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Columbus8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny68°F Seguin9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Kerrville10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Ozona12:45 PM CDT Sunny78°F Fort Stockton2:15 PM CDT Sunny86°F Texas–New Mexico line2:45 PM MDT Sunny86°F Carlsbad3:30 PM MDT Sunny86°F Roswell5 PM MDT Sunny81°F Ruidoso6:15 PM MDT Sunny64°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 Houston (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Houston, TXStart 36 ftelevation
- Columbus, TXMile 73 · 1 h 10 min 203 ftelevation
- Seguin, TXMile 162 · 2 h 25 min 528 ftelevation
- Kerrville, TXMile 258 · 3 h 51 min 1,640 ftelevation
- Ozona, TXMile 399 · 5 h 43 min 2,336 ftelevation
- Fort Stockton, TXMile 506 · 7 h 8 min 2,983 ftelevation
- Texas–New Mexico lineState line · Mile 611 · 8 h 51 min 2,950 ftelevation
- Carlsbad, NMMile 645 · 9 h 31 min 3,118 ftelevation
- Roswell, NMMile 723 · 10 h 57 min 3,574 ftelevation
- Ruidoso, NMMile 794 · 12 h 13 min 6,732 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Houston, Roswell and Ruidoso.
| Month | Houston 95 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 | 64° / 44° | 0 | 57° / 28° | 0.7 | 49° / 21° | 2.0 |
| Feb | 68° / 48° | 0 | 63° / 33° | 0.4 | 51° / 23° | 1.8 |
| Mar | 74° / 54° | 0 | 71° / 39° | 0.2 | 58° / 27° | 1.1 |
| Apr | 80° / 60° | 0 | 79° / 47° | 0 | 65° / 33° | 0.3 |
| May | 87° / 68° | 0 | 88° / 57° | 0 | 73° / 40° | 0 |
| Jun | 92° / 74° | 0 | 96° / 66° | 0 | 82° / 47° | 0 |
| Jul | 95° / 76° | 0 | 97° / 70° | 0 | 81° / 51° | 0 |
| Aug | 95° / 75° | 0 | 95° / 69° | 0 | 79° / 50° | 0 |
| Sep | 90° / 71° | 0 | 88° / 61° | 0 | 75° / 44° | 0 |
| Oct | 83° / 61° | 0 | 78° / 49° | 0.1 | 67° / 35° | 0.3 |
| Nov | 73° / 52° | 0 | 66° / 36° | 0.4 | 56° / 26° | 0.7 |
| Dec | 65° / 46° | 0.1 | 57° / 28° | 1.0 | 48° / 22° | 2.2 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: HOUSTON INTERCONT AP (USW00012960, 95 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 Houston 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 Houston to Ruidoso?
794 miles, about 12 hours of driving without stops, by way of I-10 and US-285. 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 794, about 12 h 13 min of driving after you leave Houston.
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).