Frost Dates for 87506 — Santa Fe, New Mexico

Half of springs at Santa Fe Co Municipal Airport, NM see their last 32°F night by May 4; only one in ten is past it by April 22, and one in ten still has one after May 17. Planting tender crops after May 9 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 12 20%, and after May 17 10%. The 13 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 80% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 15 in half of years, as early as October 4 one year in ten, and holds off past October 25 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around October 24; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 7, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 164 days in a typical year, shorter than at 54% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 180 days one year in ten and falls short of 146 one year in ten. On average 153 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 14, and return around October 5. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 23 and March 4.

July is the warmest month at Santa Fe Co Municipal Airport, NM, averaging 89°F by day and 58°F at night; December is the coldest at 44°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 September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 64% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 2,950 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 61% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 34% of them (1,001) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 716. Precipitation totals 10.8 inches a year, most in August (2.0") and least in February (0.4"); May to September bring 58% of it.

The nearest other station, Santa Fe 2, NM, 6 miles east of Santa Fe and 412 feet higher, has a last frost 10 days later (May 14), a first frost 9 days earlier (October 6), a season 20 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Santa Fe usually arrives around November 16, and the last of the season around April 12. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Santa Fe Seton, NM, 8.1 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 22 days after the last snow.

ZIP 87506 is 1 mile from Santa Fe Co Municipal Airport, NM, which stands at 6,344 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 87506 in zone 7a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.