Editing Taos, New Mexico (section)

==Geography and climate==
[[File:Taos NM world wind2.jpg|right|thumb|View north from Taos Plaza toward Taos Mountain ([[NASA WorldWind]])]]
Taos is located at {{Coord|36|23|38|N|105|34|36|W|type:city}} (36.393979, −105.576705).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date= April 23, 2011 |date= February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

The town has a total area of {{convert|5.4|sqmi|km2}}, all land.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citymelt.com/city/New-Mexico/Taos+Town-NM.html |title=Taos Town, New Mexico Complete Analysis |publisher=citymelt.com |access-date= June 4, 2011}}</ref>

Taos is located within two watersheds, categorized as [[Hydrological code|subwatersheds or HUC12s]] in the United States.  The town is mostly located in the Outlet Rio Fernando del Taos Watershed, where its two waterbodies are rated as impaired.<ref>{{cite web |title=How's My Waterway? |url=https://mywaterway.epa.gov/community/taos,%20nm/overview |publisher=US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |access-date=March 3, 2022}}</ref> A coalition of local organizations are working to improve the watershed's health.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hooks |first1=Cody |title=Surprising alliance of groups tackle problems on Río Fernando |url=https://www.taosnews.com/news/environment/surprising-alliance-of-groups-tackle-problems-on-r-o-fernando/article_f652d7f9-24d2-5c13-acbe-2a39c97c8bfe.html |access-date= March 3, 2022 |publisher=Taos News |date=April 24, 2019}}</ref> The northern edge of town is within the Rio Fernando del Taos-[[Rio Pueblo de Taos|Rio Pueblo del Taos]] Watershed.<ref>{{cite web |title=How's My Waterway? |url=https://mywaterway.epa.gov/community/130201010605/overview |publisher=US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |access-date= March 4, 2022}}</ref>

Just to the west of Taos is the [[Rio Grande Gorge]], cutting through the [[basalt]] flows of the [[Taos Plateau volcanic field]] and crossed by the [[Rio Grande Gorge Bridge]], now a part of [[U.S. Route 64]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moon.com/destinations/santa-fe-taos-albuquerque/background/the-land/geography-and-geology |title=Geography and Geology |author=  O'Neill, Zora |work= Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque from Moon Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque, 2nd edition  |publisher=Avalon Travel Guides |access-date= June 4, 2011}}</ref>

The elevation of the town is {{convert|6969|ft|m}}.<ref name=FAQ>{{cite web |url=http://taosvacationguide.com/faqs |title=Frequently Asked Questions |work=Taos Vacation Guide |publisher=Taos Webb Community |access-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-date=February 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209232944/http://taosvacationguide.com/faqs |url-status=dead }}</ref> Just north of Taos is [[Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)|Wheeler Peak]], at {{convert|13161|ft|m}}, the highest point in New Mexico.<ref name=FAQ/> Taos has a [[warm-summer humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfb''), though it borders on a [[semi-arid climate]] (''BSk'') due to the low rainfall. The town is characterized by extreme [[diurnal temperature variation|diurnal variations of temperature]]. Even when summer days get extremely hot, nights cool off considerably.

{{Weather box
|location = Taos, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1892–2016
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 66
|Feb record high F = 73
|Mar record high F = 80
|Apr record high F = 82
|May record high F = 99
|Jun record high F = 98
|Jul record high F = 101
|Aug record high F = 99
|Sep record high F = 95
|Oct record high F = 89
|Nov record high F = 83
|Dec record high F = 67

|Jan avg record high F = 53.8
|Feb avg record high F = 59.4
|Mar avg record high F = 68.7
|Apr avg record high F = 75.6
|May avg record high F = 83.4
|Jun avg record high F = 91.5
|Jul avg record high F = 93.2
|Aug avg record high F = 90.5
|Sep avg record high F = 86.2
|Oct avg record high F = 77.8
|Nov avg record high F = 66.7
|Dec avg record high F = 56.1
|year avg record high F = 93.9

|Jan high F = 42.1
|Feb high F = 46.4
|Mar high F = 55.2
|Apr high F = 63.0
|May high F = 72.9
|Jun high F = 83.7
|Jul high F = 86.5
|Aug high F = 84.2
|Sep high F = 78.1
|Oct high F = 67.0
|Nov high F = 53.1
|Dec high F = 42.4
|year high F = 

|Jan mean F = 27.1
|Feb mean F = 32.9
|Mar mean F = 40.2
|Apr mean F = 46.8
|May mean F = 55.0
|Jun mean F = 65.5
|Jul mean F = 69.6
|Aug mean F = 67.7
|Sep mean F = 61.4
|Oct mean F = 49.7
|Nov mean F = 37.8
|Dec mean F = 28.0
|year mean F = 

|Jan low F = 12.2
|Feb low F = 19.4
|Mar low F = 25.3
|Apr low F = 30.5
|May low F = 37.1
|Jun low F = 47.4
|Jul low F = 52.7
|Aug low F = 51.3
|Sep low F = 44.8
|Oct low F = 32.3
|Nov low F = 22.4
|Dec low F = 13.6
|year low F = 

|Jan avg record low F = -3.3
|Feb avg record low F = -1.0
|Mar avg record low F = 10.5
|Apr avg record low F = 19.8
|May avg record low F = 26.6
|Jun avg record low F = 36.5
|Jul avg record low F = 45.3
|Aug avg record low F = 44.3
|Sep avg record low F = 32.1
|Oct avg record low F = 19.0
|Nov avg record low F = 6.4
|Dec avg record low F = -4.9
|year avg record low F = -9.6

|Jan record low F = -27
|Feb record low F = -27
|Mar record low F = -11
|Apr record low F = 0
|May record low F = 13
|Jun record low F = 28
|Jul record low F = 34
|Aug record low F = 36
|Sep record low F = 22
|Oct record low F = 0
|Nov record low F = -21
|Dec record low F = -27

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.67
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.45
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.71
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.83
|May precipitation inch = 1.22
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.86
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.53
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.77
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.37
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.34
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.88
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.07
|year precipitation inch = 12.70

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 3.7
|Feb precipitation days = 3.5
|Mar precipitation days = 4.4
|Apr precipitation days = 3.8
|May precipitation days = 4.9
|Jun precipitation days = 4.8
|Jul precipitation days = 7.2
|Aug precipitation days = 10.2
|Sep precipitation days = 5.8
|Oct precipitation days = 4.6
|Nov precipitation days = 3.9
|Dec precipitation days = 4.2
|year precipitation days = 61.0

|Jan snow inch = 6.0
|Feb snow inch = 3.3
|Mar snow inch = 4.0
|Apr snow inch = 1.9
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 1.4
|Nov snow inch = 2.8
|Dec snow inch = 9.0
|year snow inch = 

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 2.6
|Feb snow days = 2.4
|Mar snow days = 1.2
|Apr snow days = 1.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.5
|Nov snow days = 1.2
|Dec snow days = 3.1
|year snow days = 12.0

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00298668&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Taos, NM
|access-date = August 7, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS2 (mean maxima/minima, snow depth 1981&ndash;2010)<ref name = XMACIS2>
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS2
|access-date = August 7, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

===Mud season===
Dirt roads and driveways in Taos can experience a particularly bad [[mud season]] when winter weather is followed by unseasonably warm temperatures. This occurs because area soil is heavy with [[silt]], which makes it vulnerable to [[frost heaving]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hooks |first1=Cody |title=Mud an Unwelcome Visitor for Taoseños |url=https://www.taosnews.com/news/mud-an-unwelcome-visitor-for-taose-os/article_e687f42d-06d6-5631-98e8-75f8e5ea6605.html |access-date= February 16, 2022 |publisher=Taos News |date=February 7, 2015}}</ref>