Frost Dates for 87120 — Albuquerque, New Mexico

Half of springs at Petroglyph Natl Mon, NM see their last 32°F night by April 15; only one in ten is past it by March 31, and one in ten still has one after April 30. Planting tender crops after April 21 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 25 20%, and after April 30 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 46% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 27 in half of years, as early as October 16 one year in ten, and holds off past November 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around November 4; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 16, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 193 days in a typical year, longer than at 70% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 214 days one year in ten and falls short of 175 one year in ten. On average 112 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 April 27, and return around October 19. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 99% of winters, usually between December 10 and February 1.

July is the warmest month at Petroglyph Natl Mon, NM, averaging 93°F by day and 65°F at night; December is the coldest at 49°F and 24°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 89% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,153 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 64% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 37% of them (1,556) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 894. Precipitation totals 9.7 inches a year, most in August (1.6") and least in June (0.3"); May to September bring 56% of it.

The nearest other station, Rio Grande Nature Ctr, NM, 2 miles southeast of Albuquerque and 177 feet lower, has a last frost 8 days later (April 23), a first frost 7 days earlier (October 20), a season 14 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Albuquerque usually arrives around December 10, and the last of the season around February 13. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Petroglyph Natl Mon, NM, 0.5 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 80% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 61 days after the last snow.

ZIP 87120 is under a mile from Petroglyph Natl Mon, NM, which stands at 5,121 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 87120 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.