New Mexico frost dates
The typical last spring frost ranges from Mar 12 in Las Cruces to May 19 in Taos.
5 of the 5 New Mexico cities listed have typical frost dates. The longest frost-free season is 241 days in Las Cruces; the shortest is 136 days in Taos. For a single address, look up your ZIP code: rural ZIPs use their nearest suitable station.
| City | Last spring frost | 1 in 10 after | First fall frost | 1 in 10 before | Hard freeze (28°F) | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | Apr 6 | Apr 23 | Nov 3 | Oct 21 | Mar 17 / Nov 15 | 208 days |
| Las Cruces | Mar 12 | Apr 2 | Nov 13 | Oct 30 | Feb 26 / Nov 24 | 241 days |
| Rio Rancho | Apr 25 | May 10 | Oct 17 | Oct 4 | Apr 8 / Oct 27 | 173 days |
| Santa Fe | May 14 | May 28 | Oct 6 | Sep 25 | May 3 / Oct 16 | 144 days |
| Taos | May 19 | May 31 | Oct 3 | Sep 23 | May 7 / Oct 10 | 136 days |
Reading the table: Rio Rancho
In Rio Rancho, the last spring frost typically comes around Apr 25: in half of years it is earlier, in half later. In 1 year in 10 it comes after May 10, 15 days later, so tender plants set out after that date have a 90% chance of escaping frost. In fall, the first frost typically arrives around Oct 17, and in 1 year in 10 before Oct 4. Hard freezes (28°F) usually end earlier in spring and start later in fall: around Apr 8 and Oct 27 in Rio Rancho.
Frost dates at more New Mexico weather stations
NOAA stations across New Mexico used by our ZIP code lookup, named for the town they are in.
| Station | Elevation | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcalde | 5,680 ft | May 10 (1 in 10 after May 24) | Oct 4 (before Sep 24) |
| Amistad 5 Ssw | 4,445 ft | Apr 27 (1 in 10 after May 10) | Oct 17 (before Oct 4) |
| Angel Fire 1S | 8,500 ft | Jun 18 (1 in 10 after Jul 1) | Sep 8 (before Aug 20) |
| Animas 3ESE | 4,501 ft | Apr 2 (1 in 10 after Apr 21) | Nov 7 (before Oct 23) |
| Artesia 6S | 3,366 ft | Apr 11 (1 in 10 after Apr 26) | Oct 29 (before Oct 16) |
| Aztec Ruins Nm | 5,644 ft | May 12 (1 in 10 after May 30) | Oct 6 (before Sep 24) |
| Bernardo | 4,735 ft | Apr 29 (1 in 10 after May 13) | Oct 14 (before Oct 1) |
| Bitter Lakes Wl Refuge | 3,664 ft | Apr 20 (1 in 10 after May 3) | Oct 20 (before Oct 5) |
| Caballo Dam | 4,239 ft | Mar 25 (1 in 10 after Apr 17) | Nov 6 (before Oct 24) |
| Capitan | 6,480 ft | May 3 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 12 (before Oct 1) |
| Cerro | 7,650 ft | May 31 (1 in 10 after Jun 13) | Sep 26 (before Sep 14) |
| Chama | 7,850 ft | Jun 14 (1 in 10 after Jun 30) | Sep 18 (before Sep 7) |
| Cliff 11 Se | 4,773 ft | May 9 (1 in 10 after May 24) | Oct 15 (before Oct 3) |
| Cloudcroft | 8,679 ft | May 18 (1 in 10 after Jun 1) | Oct 1 (before Sep 18) |
| Clovis 13 N | 4,435 ft | Apr 20 (1 in 10 after May 3) | Oct 24 (before Oct 7) |
| Cochiti Dam | 5,560 ft | Apr 26 (1 in 10 after May 8) | Oct 21 (before Oct 8) |
| Conchas Dam | 4,244 ft | Apr 4 (1 in 10 after Apr 21) | Nov 2 (before Oct 19) |
| Cubero | 6,195 ft | May 13 (1 in 10 after May 29) | Oct 4 (before Sep 22) |
| Dilia | 5,150 ft | May 2 (1 in 10 after May 16) | Oct 13 (before Sep 29) |
| Eagle Nest | 8,280 ft | Jun 16 (1 in 10 after Jul 5) | Sep 14 (before Sep 1) |
| El Morro Natl Mon | 7,223 ft | Jun 3 (1 in 10 after Jun 15) | Sep 27 (before Sep 14) |
| El Rito | 6,870 ft | May 15 (1 in 10 after Jun 4) | Oct 7 (before Sep 23) |
| Elida | 4,395 ft | Apr 21 (1 in 10 after May 6) | Oct 23 (before Oct 7) |
| Estancia 4N | 6,140 ft | May 18 (1 in 10 after Jun 2) | Oct 1 (before Sep 21) |
| Faywood | 5,251 ft | Apr 21 (1 in 10 after May 8) | Oct 31 (before Oct 17) |
| Fruitland | 5,130 ft | May 12 (1 in 10 after May 29) | Oct 4 (before Sep 21) |
| Ft Bayard | 6,099 ft | Apr 4 (1 in 10 after Apr 22) | Nov 8 (before Oct 23) |
| Gallup Muni Airport | 6,471 ft | May 31 (1 in 10 after Jun 14) | Sep 28 (before Sep 17) |
| Gallup Sand & Gravel | 6,577 ft | May 11 (1 in 10 after May 26) | Oct 7 (before Sep 27) |
| Gascon | 8,250 ft | May 28 (1 in 10 after Jun 10) | Sep 26 (before Sep 12) |
| Gran Quivira Natl Mon | 6,600 ft | May 2 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 15 (before Oct 1) |
| Grants Milan Muni Airport | 6,520 ft | May 24 (1 in 10 after Jun 9) | Oct 1 (before Sep 19) |
| Grenville | 6,002 ft | May 5 (1 in 10 after May 20) | Oct 9 (before Sep 27) |
| Hobbs | 3,660 ft | Mar 28 (1 in 10 after Apr 13) | Nov 10 (before Oct 27) |
| Hobbs 13W | 3,836 ft | Mar 28 (1 in 10 after Apr 15) | Nov 13 (before Oct 30) |
| Jemez Springs | 6,262 ft | May 9 (1 in 10 after May 23) | Oct 11 (before Sep 28) |
| Las Vegas Muni Airport | 6,874 ft | May 10 (1 in 10 after May 23) | Oct 7 (before Sep 26) |
| Lindrith 1 Wsw | 7,220 ft | May 28 (1 in 10 after Jun 12) | Sep 27 (before Sep 15) |
| Los Lunas 3 Ssw | 4,840 ft | Apr 23 (1 in 10 after May 6) | Oct 21 (before Oct 7) |
| Luna RS | 7,050 ft | Jun 17 (1 in 10 after Jul 1) | Sep 21 (before Sep 8) |
| Mccarty Rch | 4,410 ft | Apr 20 (1 in 10 after May 5) | Oct 21 (before Oct 6) |
| Mcgaffey 5 Se | 8,000 ft | Jun 5 (1 in 10 after Jun 22) | Sep 25 (before Sep 10) |
| Mtn Park | 6,804 ft | Apr 30 (1 in 10 after May 15) | Oct 21 (before Oct 9) |
| Otis | 6,880 ft | May 4 (1 in 10 after May 21) | Oct 15 (before Oct 1) |
| Pecos Nm | 6,878 ft | May 15 (1 in 10 after May 31) | Oct 3 (before Sep 19) |
| Picacho | 4,990 ft | Apr 19 (1 in 10 after May 2) | Oct 25 (before Oct 11) |
| Ruidoso | 6,930 ft | May 11 (1 in 10 after May 22) | Oct 5 (before Sep 24) |
| San Jon | 4,230 ft | Apr 18 (1 in 10 after May 3) | Oct 24 (before Oct 11) |
| Sandia Park | 7,030 ft | May 9 (1 in 10 after May 26) | Oct 9 (before Sep 24) |
| Santa Fe Co Muni Airport | 6,344 ft | May 4 (1 in 10 after May 17) | Oct 15 (before Oct 4) |
| Santa Teresa Airport | 4,109 ft | Mar 23 (1 in 10 after Apr 9) | Nov 11 (before Oct 29) |
| Socorro 20 N | 4,847 ft | Apr 12 (1 in 10 after Apr 29) | Oct 27 (before Oct 15) |
| Tatum | 4,012 ft | Apr 19 (1 in 10 after May 2) | Oct 26 (before Oct 12) |
| Thoreau 12 Se | 7,425 ft | May 29 (1 in 10 after Jun 12) | Sep 26 (before Sep 13) |
| Tierra Amarilla 4 N | 7,464 ft | Jun 11 (1 in 10 after Jun 26) | Sep 20 (before Sep 8) |
| Tres Piedras | 8,139 ft | May 31 (1 in 10 after Jun 18) | Sep 28 (before Sep 15) |
| Truth Or Consequence Airport | 4,850 ft | Mar 22 (1 in 10 after Apr 10) | Nov 9 (before Oct 27) |
| Valmora | 6,325 ft | May 18 (1 in 10 after Jun 3) | Oct 1 (before Sep 21) |
| White Sands Natl Mon | 4,006 ft | Apr 22 (1 in 10 after May 5) | Oct 22 (before Oct 10) |
| Wolf Canyon | 8,220 ft | Jun 19 (1 in 10 after Jul 6) | Sep 13 (before Aug 30) |
32°F dates from NOAA 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for each city's station. "1 in 10 after": a 10% chance of a later spring frost (planting is 90% safe after it). How to read frost dates.