Luna, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luna, New Mexico
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 Luna, New Mexico
Location in New Mexico
Luna, New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Catron |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.57 sq mi (14.42 km2) |
| • Land | 5.56 sq mi (14.40 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 7,008 ft (2,136 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 194 |
| • Density | 34.90/sq mi (13.47/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT |
| Area code(s) | 575 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2584149 |
Luna is a small community in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. It's called a census-designated place, which means it's a special area the government counts for population, but it doesn't have its own city government. In 2020, about 194 people lived there.
Luna is located near the San Francisco River and U.S. Route 180. It is about 7 miles (11 km) east of the Arizona border. It is also about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Reserve, which is the main town of Catron County.
Contents
History of Luna
In the 1800s, the area where Luna now stands was part of a large ranch owned by Don Salomon Luna. The valley was used for raising sheep. For a short time, it was a place where people who broke the law might hide.
In 1883, ranchers who were members of the Mormon faith settled in Luna. They faced attacks from the Chiricahua Apache people until their leader, Geronimo, gave up. The town was named after Don Salomon Luna, who owned the land. A post office was opened in Luna in 1886.
Population in Luna
In 2020, the population of Luna was 194 people. This number helps us understand how many people live in the community.
Schools in Luna
Students in Luna attend schools that are part of the Reserve Independent School District.
Climate and Weather
Luna has a climate that is often described as oceanic, similar to coastal areas, but it also has features of a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters, with some moisture throughout the year.
Here are some average temperatures and rainfall for Luna:
- Warmest Month: July, with an average high temperature of about 85.3°F (29.6°C).
- Coldest Month: January, with an average low temperature of about 13.5°F (-10.3°C).
- Rainiest Months: July and August, which are part of the monsoon season, bring the most rain.
- Snowfall: Luna gets some snow, especially in December and January.
| Climate data for Luna Ranger Station, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, 1903-2020 extremes: 7050ft (2149m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 72 (22) |
76 (24) |
81 (27) |
89 (32) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
100 (38) |
97 (36) |
97 (36) |
87 (31) |
80 (27) |
73 (23) |
101 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 63.3 (17.4) |
64.8 (18.2) |
70.6 (21.4) |
77.2 (25.1) |
84.3 (29.1) |
91.5 (33.1) |
92.6 (33.7) |
88.2 (31.2) |
84.6 (29.2) |
78.4 (25.8) |
70.5 (21.4) |
64.2 (17.9) |
93.7 (34.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 51.9 (11.1) |
54.6 (12.6) |
60.9 (16.1) |
67.2 (19.6) |
75.4 (24.1) |
85.0 (29.4) |
85.3 (29.6) |
81.8 (27.7) |
78.5 (25.8) |
71.0 (21.7) |
60.7 (15.9) |
52.3 (11.3) |
68.7 (20.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.7 (0.4) |
35.6 (2.0) |
40.1 (4.5) |
45.9 (7.7) |
52.5 (11.4) |
61.2 (16.2) |
66.4 (19.1) |
64.5 (18.1) |
58.8 (14.9) |
48.8 (9.3) |
39.3 (4.1) |
32.6 (0.3) |
48.2 (9.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.5 (−10.3) |
16.5 (−8.6) |
19.3 (−7.1) |
24.5 (−4.2) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
37.4 (3.0) |
47.5 (8.6) |
47.2 (8.4) |
39.1 (3.9) |
26.7 (−2.9) |
18.0 (−7.8) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −4.6 (−20.3) |
−0.8 (−18.2) |
4.4 (−15.3) |
10.6 (−11.9) |
17.6 (−8.0) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
35.9 (2.2) |
38.0 (3.3) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
13.3 (−10.4) |
1.5 (−16.9) |
−8.4 (−22.4) |
−11.8 (−24.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −32 (−36) |
−31 (−35) |
−18 (−28) |
−5 (−21) |
7 (−14) |
18 (−8) |
26 (−3) |
30 (−1) |
19 (−7) |
2 (−17) |
−25 (−32) |
−32 (−36) |
−32 (−36) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.21 (31) |
1.05 (27) |
0.82 (21) |
0.45 (11) |
0.68 (17) |
0.61 (15) |
3.37 (86) |
3.84 (98) |
2.16 (55) |
1.42 (36) |
0.86 (22) |
1.11 (28) |
17.58 (447) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.40 (13.7) |
1.70 (4.3) |
1.40 (3.6) |
0.70 (1.8) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.10 (0.25) |
1.40 (3.6) |
6.90 (17.5) |
17.6 (44.75) |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 (records & 1981-2010 monthly max/mins) | |||||||||||||
Local Culture and Events
Luna celebrates "Mormon Pioneer Day" on the Saturday closest to July 24. This celebration includes a parade, a rodeo, and a dance at the village rodeo grounds.
On the 4th of July, Luna also holds festivities. These often include a fun cake-making contest.
See also
In Spanish: Luna (Nuevo México) para niños
