Frost Dates for 81067 — Rocky Ford, Colorado

Half of springs at Rocky Ford 2 SE, CO see their last 32°F night by May 1; only one in ten is past it by April 20, and one in ten still has one after May 14. Planting tender crops after May 6 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 10 20%, and after May 14 10%. The 13 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 67% of the 110 Colorado stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 8 in half of years, as early as September 26 one year in ten, and holds off past October 19 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around October 16; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 3, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 159 days in a typical year, longer than at 78% of the 110 Colorado stations; it reaches 176 days one year in ten and falls short of 142 one year in ten. On average 159 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 10 days longer, to about May 11, and return around September 30. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 11 and March 14.

July is the warmest month at Rocky Ford 2 SE, CO, averaging 93°F by day and 60°F at night; December is the coldest at 47°F and 16°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to August the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 54% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,609 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 94% of the 110 Colorado stations. 36% of them (1,297) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 828. Precipitation totals 12.6 inches a year, most in July (2.4") and least in January (0.3"); May to September bring 64% of it.

The nearest other station, La Junta, CO, 11 miles southeast of Rocky Ford, has a last frost 5 days earlier (April 26), a first frost 7 days later (October 15), a season 12 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Rocky Ford usually arrives around November 13, and the last of the season around April 3. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Rocky Ford 2 SE, CO, 1.5 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 28 days after the last snow.

ZIP 81067 is 2 miles from Rocky Ford 2 SE, CO, which stands at 4,170 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 81067 in zone 6a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -10 to -5°F (-23.3 to -20.6°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.