Frost Dates for 87052 — Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico

Half of springs at Cochiti Dam, NM see their last 32°F night by April 26; only one in ten is past it by April 13, and one in ten still has one after May 8. Planting tender crops after May 1 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 3 20%, and after May 8 10%. The 12 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 93% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 21 in half of years, as early as October 8 one year in ten, and holds off past November 3 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around October 31; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 1, 7 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 178 days in a typical year, longer than at 53% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 195 days one year in ten and falls short of 158 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 9 days longer, to about May 5, and return around October 11. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 28 and February 21.

July is the warmest month at Cochiti Dam, NM, averaging 94°F by day and 61°F at night; January is the coldest at 50°F and 20°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 32% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,823 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 56% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 35% of them (1,355) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 852. Precipitation totals 11.6 inches a year, most in July (2.0") and least in February (0.5"); May to September bring 57% of it.

The nearest other station, Placitas 4W, NM, 15 miles southwest of Santo Domingo Pueblo, has a last frost 10 days earlier (April 16), a first frost 2 days later (October 23), a season 9 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Santo Domingo Pueblo usually arrives around December 20, and the last of the season around February 15. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Cochiti Dam, NM, 9.2 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 70% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 70 days after the last snow.

ZIP 87052 is 9 miles from Cochiti Dam, NM, which stands at 5,560 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 87052 in zone 7b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.