Frost Dates for 79938 — El Paso, Texas

Half of springs at El Paso 32 ENE, TX see their last 32°F night by March 24; only one in ten is past it by February 27, and one in ten still has one after April 10. Planting tender crops after April 2 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 6 20%, and after April 10 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 86% of the 339 Texas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 11 in half of years, as early as October 23 one year in ten, and holds off past November 28 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 14 days later, around November 25; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 29, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 230 days in a typical year, shorter than at 76% of the 339 Texas stations; it reaches 260 days one year in ten and falls short of 202 one year in ten. On average 59 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 16 days longer, to about April 9, and return around November 1. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 99% of winters and 16°F in 39%.

July is the warmest month at El Paso 32 ENE, TX, averaging 93°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 54°F and 32°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 82% of years and April still brings one in 36% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,004 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 92% of the 351 Texas stations. 40% of them (2,011) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 899. Precipitation totals 10.2 inches a year, most in July (1.8") and least in March (0.3"); May to September bring 62% of it.

The nearest other station, El Paso International Airport, TX, 17 miles west of El Paso and 1,322 feet lower, has a last frost 22 days earlier (March 2), a first frost 9 days later (November 20), a season 31 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in El Paso usually arrives around December 13, and the last of the season around January 30. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at El Paso 32 ENE, TX, 7.9 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Every one of those winters saw snow. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 53 days after the last snow.

ZIP 79938 is 8 miles from El Paso 32 ENE, TX, which stands at 5,240 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 79938 in zone 8b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.