Frost dates in New Mexico
Across New Mexico's 175 NOAA stations with a frost every year, the typical last spring frost ranges from March 9 at Alamogordo (4,380 feet above sea level) to June 19 at Wolf Canyon (8,220 feet above sea level). The middle station's date is April 29.
Look up your ZIP code
Last frost across New Mexico
The frost-free season runs from 77 days at Red River to 251 days at Alamogordo.
The station with the latest frost sits about 3,800 feet higher than the one with the earliest.
These are typical dates: in half of springs the last frost comes later. Each place's page, and each ZIP code lookup, also gives the late-year date, after which only 1 spring in 10 has a frost. That's the safer date for tender plants.
Frost dates for New Mexico's larger places
| Place | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Season | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | April 18 | October 24 | 189 days | 7b |
| Las Cruces | March 12 | November 13 | 241 days | 8b |
| Rio Rancho | April 8 | November 1 | 203 days | 7b |
Typical (1-in-2) dates. Each place's page has the early and late years, a planting calendar and a printable planner. Zones are for the ZIP code nearest each place's center.
Hardiness zones in New Mexico
New Mexico's 419 ZIP codes in the USDA list fall in zones 5a to 8b: 5a (under 1 percent), 5b (4 percent), 6a (15 percent), 6b (16 percent), 7a (22 percent), 7b (25 percent), 8a (12 percent) and 8b (5 percent). Compared with the 2012 map, 41 percent of them moved to a warmer half zone (17 by a full zone or more), 54 percent stayed the same and 19 moved to a colder one.
A hardiness zone is about the coldest night of winter, which decides which shrubs, trees and perennials survive. Frost dates are about spring and fall, which decide when to plant. You need both. Read more about what the zones mean and what changed in 2023.
Every NOAA station in New Mexico
All 175 stations in New Mexico with frost statistics in NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, from A to Z. Station names are usually a town, an airport, or a distance and direction from a town. Find one near you and at a similar elevation.
| Station | Elevation (feet) | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abiquiu Dam | 6,380 | April 29 | October 16 | 168 |
| Alamogordo | 4,380 | March 9 | November 18 | 251 |
| Albuquerque Foothills Ne | 5,990 | April 21 | October 23 | 184 |
| Albuquerque International Airport | 5,310 | April 6 | November 3 | 208 |
| Albuquerque Valley | 4,950 | April 18 | October 24 | 189 |
| Alcalde | 5,680 | May 10 | October 4 | 145 |
| Amistad 5 SSW | 4,450 | April 27 | October 17 | 172 |
| Angel Fire 1 S | 8,500 | June 18 | September 8 | 80 |
| Animas 3 ESE | 4,500 | April 2 | November 7 | 218 |
| Antelope Wells | 4,660 | April 16 | October 30 | 195 |
| Arch | 3,940 | April 23 | October 21 | 180 |
| Artesia 6 S | 3,370 | April 11 | October 29 | 198 |
| Augustine 2 E | 7,000 | May 19 | October 4 | 137 |
| Aztec Ruins NM | 5,640 | May 12 | October 6 | 147 |
| Bernardo | 4,730 | April 29 | October 14 | 166 |
| Bingham 2 NE | 5,550 | April 25 | October 23 | 180 |
| Bitter Lakes WL Refuge | 3,660 | April 20 | October 20 | 181 |
| Bloomfield 3 SE | 5,810 | April 23 | October 19 | 177 |
| Bosque Del Apache | 4,510 | April 28 | October 16 | 167 |
| Brantley Dam | 3,210 | March 25 | November 8 | 226 |
| Brazos Lodge | 8,010 | May 20 | October 4 | 135 |
| Caballo Dam | 4,240 | March 25 | November 6 | 224 |
| Capitan | 6,480 | May 3 | October 12 | 161 |
| Caprock | 4,350 | April 14 | October 28 | 195 |
| Capulin | 6,840 | May 17 | October 1 | 136 |
| Carlsbad | 3,120 | March 17 | November 12 | 238 |
| Carlsbad Cavern City Airport | 3,230 | March 27 | November 7 | 223 |
| Carlsbad Caverns | 4,440 | April 2 | November 11 | 223 |
| Carrizozo 1 SW | 5,400 | April 27 | October 20 | 175 |
| Cerro | 7,650 | May 31 | September 26 | 116 |
| Chaco Canyon Natl Mon | 6,170 | May 28 | September 27 | 120 |
| Chama | 7,850 | June 14 | September 18 | 93 |
| Cimarron 4 SW | 6,540 | May 11 | October 3 | 143 |
| Clayton 1 N | 5,000 | May 4 | October 11 | 159 |
| Clayton Municipal Air Park | 4,960 | April 27 | October 17 | 170 |
| Cliff 11 SE | 4,770 | May 9 | October 15 | 157 |
| Clines Corners | 7,090 | May 4 | October 12 | 159 |
| Clines Corners 7 SE | 6,920 | May 9 | October 7 | 150 |
| Cloudcroft | 8,680 | May 18 | October 1 | 134 |
| Clovis | 4,290 | April 14 | October 29 | 197 |
| Clovis 13 N | 4,440 | April 20 | October 24 | 184 |
| Cochiti Dam | 5,560 | April 26 | October 21 | 178 |
| Columbus | 4,060 | March 18 | November 11 | 237 |
| Conchas Dam | 4,250 | April 4 | November 2 | 210 |
| Corona 10 SW | 6,680 | April 29 | October 20 | 172 |
| Corrales | 5,030 | April 25 | October 17 | 173 |
| Cuba | 6,910 | May 30 | September 28 | 119 |
| Cubero | 6,190 | May 13 | October 4 | 145 |
| Dark Canyon Road | 3,920 | April 6 | November 1 | 206 |
| Deming | 4,300 | April 7 | November 3 | 208 |
| Deming Municipal Airport | 4,300 | April 5 | November 5 | 213 |
| Dilia | 5,150 | May 2 | October 13 | 162 |
| Dulce | 6,790 | June 9 | September 22 | 103 |
| Eagle Nest | 8,280 | June 16 | September 14 | 87 |
| El Morro Natl Mon | 7,220 | June 3 | September 27 | 114 |
| El Rito | 6,870 | May 15 | October 7 | 143 |
| El Vado Dam | 6,740 | June 13 | September 18 | 94 |
| Elephant Butte Dam | 4,570 | March 13 | November 15 | 243 |
| Elida | 4,400 | April 21 | October 23 | 183 |
| Elk | 5,940 | May 7 | October 11 | 155 |
| Espanola | 5,620 | May 11 | October 6 | 149 |
| Estancia 4 N | 6,140 | May 18 | October 1 | 135 |
| Farmington Ag Sci CNT | 5,630 | April 29 | October 15 | 167 |
| Farmington Regional Airport | 5,500 | May 2 | October 13 | 160 |
| Faywood | 5,250 | April 21 | October 31 | 191 |
| Fence Lake | 7,060 | May 31 | October 1 | 122 |
| Fort Bayard | 6,100 | April 4 | November 8 | 216 |
| Fort Sumner | 4,030 | April 9 | October 30 | 201 |
| Fort Sumner 5 S | 4,050 | April 18 | October 26 | 190 |
| Fruitland | 5,130 | May 12 | October 4 | 143 |
| Gage | 4,480 | April 3 | November 7 | 216 |
| Gallup Municipal Airport | 6,470 | May 31 | September 28 | 119 |
| Gallup Sand & Gravel | 6,580 | May 11 | October 7 | 148 |
| Gascon | 8,250 | May 28 | September 26 | 119 |
| Gila Hot Springs | 5,640 | May 26 | October 5 | 129 |
| Glenwood | 4,720 | May 6 | October 18 | 164 |
| Gran Quivira Natl Mon | 6,600 | May 2 | October 15 | 164 |
| Grants Airport | 6,520 | May 17 | October 3 | 137 |
| Grants Milan Municipal Airport | 6,520 | May 24 | October 1 | 129 |
| Grenville | 6,000 | May 5 | October 9 | 156 |
| Hachita 1 W | 4,470 | April 23 | October 27 | 185 |
| Hillsboro | 5,270 | April 23 | October 23 | 183 |
| Hobbs | 3,660 | March 28 | November 10 | 225 |
| Hobbs 13 W | 3,840 | March 28 | November 13 | 230 |
| Hope | 4,080 | April 1 | November 6 | 218 |
| Jal | 3,050 | March 31 | November 3 | 215 |
| Jemez Dam | 5,390 | April 17 | October 24 | 188 |
| Jemez Springs | 6,260 | May 9 | October 11 | 153 |
| Johnson Ranch | 7,200 | May 21 | October 3 | 134 |
| Jornada Exp Range | 4,320 | April 27 | October 23 | 178 |
| Lake Maloya | 7,400 | May 21 | September 29 | 128 |
| Las Cruces 20 N | 4,330 | April 24 | October 24 | 181 |
| Las Vegas Municipal Airport | 6,870 | May 10 | October 7 | 149 |
| Las Vegas WWTP | 6,350 | May 24 | September 30 | 129 |
| Lindrith 1 WSW | 7,220 | May 28 | September 27 | 121 |
| Lordsburg 4 SE | 4,250 | April 27 | October 25 | 179 |
| Los Alamos | 7,420 | May 2 | October 12 | 162 |
| Los Alamos 13 W | 8,720 | June 10 | September 13 | 94 |
| Los Lunas 3 SSW | 4,840 | April 23 | October 21 | 178 |
| Luna RS | 7,050 | June 17 | September 21 | 93 |
| Lybrook | 7,150 | May 9 | October 9 | 153 |
| Maxwell 3 NW | 6,020 | May 17 | October 1 | 135 |
| Mccarty Ranch | 4,410 | April 20 | October 21 | 183 |
| Mcgaffey 5 SE | 8,000 | June 5 | September 25 | 109 |
| Melrose | 4,600 | April 17 | October 26 | 190 |
| Moriarty 1 NE | 6,220 | May 14 | October 4 | 142 |
| Mosquero 1 NE | 5,470 | May 3 | October 12 | 160 |
| Mountain Park | 6,800 | April 30 | October 21 | 173 |
| Mountainair | 6,520 | May 2 | October 19 | 167 |
| Mountainair 8 NW | 6,670 | May 7 | October 9 | 154 |
| Navajo Dam | 5,770 | April 27 | October 19 | 174 |
| Newkirk | 4,560 | April 21 | October 21 | 183 |
| Ocate 2 NW | 7,650 | May 26 | September 26 | 121 |
| Ochoa | 3,400 | April 4 | November 6 | 217 |
| Orogrande | 4,220 | March 24 | November 7 | 225 |
| Otis | 6,880 | May 4 | October 15 | 162 |
| Pasamonte | 5,650 | May 5 | October 7 | 153 |
| Pecos NM | 6,880 | May 15 | October 3 | 138 |
| Pedernal 9 E | 6,150 | May 9 | October 6 | 150 |
| Petroglyph Natl Mon | 5,120 | April 15 | October 27 | 193 |
| Picacho | 4,990 | April 19 | October 25 | 188 |
| Pietown 19 NE | 7,960 | May 12 | October 9 | 149 |
| Placitas 4 W | 5,580 | April 16 | October 23 | 187 |
| Portales | 4,010 | April 15 | October 26 | 193 |
| Quemado | 6,880 | June 1 | September 29 | 117 |
| Ragland 3 SSW | 5,060 | April 24 | October 21 | 177 |
| Ramon 8 SW | 5,330 | April 28 | October 16 | 171 |
| Raton Filter Plant | 6,930 | May 5 | October 9 | 156 |
| Raton KRTN Radio | 6,640 | May 19 | September 29 | 132 |
| Raton Municipal Crews Airport | 6,350 | May 11 | October 4 | 145 |
| Red River | 8,670 | June 19 | September 7 | 77 |
| Redrock 1 NNE | 4,060 | April 30 | October 23 | 175 |
| Reserve RS | 5,850 | May 30 | October 3 | 127 |
| Rio Grande Nature Center | 4,940 | April 23 | October 20 | 179 |
| Rio Rancho #1 | 5,230 | April 16 | October 23 | 191 |
| Rio Rancho #2 | 5,290 | April 8 | November 1 | 203 |
| Rosebud 7 NW | 4,780 | April 21 | October 24 | 185 |
| Roswell Climat | 3,610 | April 13 | October 30 | 197 |
| Roswell Ind Air Park | 3,650 | March 29 | November 7 | 223 |
| Roy | 5,740 | April 30 | October 15 | 167 |
| Ruidoso | 6,930 | May 11 | October 5 | 147 |
| San Jon | 4,230 | April 18 | October 24 | 187 |
| Sandia Park | 7,030 | May 9 | October 9 | 152 |
| Santa Fe 2 | 6,760 | May 14 | October 6 | 144 |
| Santa Fe Co Municipal Airport | 6,350 | May 4 | October 15 | 164 |
| Santa Fe Seton | 7,000 | May 2 | October 17 | 167 |
| Santa Rosa | 4,650 | April 20 | October 23 | 183 |
| Santa Teresa Airport | 4,110 | March 23 | November 11 | 231 |
| Socorro | 4,590 | April 16 | October 25 | 191 |
| Socorro 20 N | 4,850 | April 12 | October 27 | 196 |
| Springer | 5,890 | April 30 | October 11 | 164 |
| Stanley 2 NNE | 6,370 | May 9 | October 7 | 150 |
| Star Lake | 6,630 | May 28 | September 28 | 121 |
| State Univ | 3,890 | March 12 | November 13 | 241 |
| Sumner Lake | 4,310 | April 17 | October 28 | 192 |
| Taos | 6,970 | May 19 | October 3 | 136 |
| Tatum | 4,010 | April 19 | October 26 | 188 |
| Thoreau 12 SE | 7,420 | May 29 | September 26 | 118 |
| Tierra Amarilla 4 N | 7,460 | June 11 | September 20 | 98 |
| Torreon Navajo Mission | 6,700 | May 15 | October 5 | 143 |
| Tres Piedras | 8,140 | May 31 | September 28 | 118 |
| Truth Or Consequence Airport | 4,850 | March 22 | November 9 | 230 |
| Truth Or Consequences | 4,290 | March 30 | November 5 | 220 |
| Tucumcari 4 NE | 4,080 | April 18 | October 25 | 189 |
| Tucumcari Municipal Airport | 4,060 | April 18 | October 26 | 190 |
| Tularosa | 4,420 | April 5 | November 4 | 212 |
| Valmora | 6,330 | May 18 | October 1 | 135 |
| Villanueva | 5,760 | April 24 | October 20 | 176 |
| Waste Isolt'n Pilot Plant | 3,410 | April 6 | November 2 | 210 |
| White Sands Natl Mon | 4,010 | April 22 | October 22 | 183 |
| White Signal | 5,990 | April 23 | October 26 | 185 |
| Winston | 6,200 | May 10 | October 8 | 151 |
| Wolf Canyon | 8,220 | June 19 | September 13 | 83 |
| Yeso 2 S | 4,850 | April 18 | October 26 | 188 |
| Zuni | 6,310 | May 29 | October 2 | 127 |
Typical (1-in-2) dates at 32°F. For the early and late years, and a planting calendar built from your own dates, look up your ZIP code.