Does this leafless branch bode ill for the tree?
It is best to remove infested branches throw them in the trash not the compost pile. Sanitize any garden tool that was used.
The almond
tree itself will grow in your area, but the nuts are at risk because the nuts ripen only after a long summer of dry heat.
Almonds are not satisfactory self pollenizer, so you'd need two planted or have a neighbor
plant one.
Almond will respond to fruit bearing peaches and plums grafted on it's branches, so that if the almond nuts fails, you'll have peaches and plums to harvest.
Almonds performs best in regions with long, dry summers, and well drained loam or sandy loam soil. They bear at four years and last up to 50 years.