Frost Dates for 81089 — Walsenburg, Colorado

Half of springs at Walsenburg 1 NW, CO see their last 32°F night by May 6; only one in ten is past it by April 24, and one in ten still has one after May 20. Planting tender crops after May 11 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 15 20%, and after May 20 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 45% of the 110 Colorado stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 4 in half of years, as early as September 23 one year in ten, and holds off past October 17 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around October 15; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 9, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 149 days in a typical year, longer than at 59% of the 110 Colorado stations; it reaches 168 days one year in ten and falls short of 131 one year in ten. On average 137 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 12 days longer, to about May 18, and return around September 28. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 10 and March 25.

July is the warmest month at Walsenburg 1 NW, CO, averaging 87°F by day and 58°F at night; December is the coldest at 47°F and 20°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 74% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 2,857 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 71% of the 110 Colorado stations. 32% of them (918) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 696. Precipitation totals 17.3 inches a year, most in April (2.3") and least in January (0.8"); May to September bring 49% of it.

The nearest other station, Trinidad, CO, 35 miles southeast of Walsenburg and 262 feet lower, has a last frost 6 days earlier (April 30), a first frost 11 days later (October 15), a season 18 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Walsenburg usually arrives around October 26, and the last of the season around May 1. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Walsenburg 1 NW, CO, 0.8 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 5 days after the last snow.

ZIP 81089 is under a mile from Walsenburg 1 NW, CO, which stands at 6,292 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 81089 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.