Frost Dates for 87556 — Questa, New Mexico

Half of springs at Cerro, NM see their last 32°F night by May 31; only one in ten is past it by May 17, and one in ten still has one after June 13. Planting tender crops after June 4 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after June 7 20%, and after June 13 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 September 26 in half of years, as early as September 14 one year in ten, and holds off past October 6 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 7 days later, around October 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is June 3, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 116 days in a typical year, shorter than at 97% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 133 days one year in ten and falls short of 98 one year in ten. On average 206 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 11 days longer, to about June 11, and return around September 17. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between October 29 and April 9.

July is the warmest month at Cerro, NM, averaging 83°F by day and 49°F at night; January is the coldest at 37°F and 8°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October to May (a 90% chance or more). From July to August the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, June still brings one in 47% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 1,747 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 99% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 29% of them (505) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 499. Precipitation totals 13.5 inches a year, most in August (2.3") and least in January (0.7"); May to September bring 56% of it.

The nearest other station, Taos, NM, 24 miles south of Questa and 685 feet lower, has a last frost 12 days earlier (May 19), a first frost 7 days later (October 3), a season 20 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Questa usually arrives around November 3, and the last of the season around April 12. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Cerro, NM, 0.7 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 49 days after the last snow.

ZIP 87556 is under a mile from Cerro, NM, which stands at 7,650 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 87556 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.