Frost Dates for 87566 — Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico

Half of springs at Alcalde, NM see their last 32°F night by May 10; only one in ten is past it by April 30, and one in ten still has one after May 24. Planting tender crops after May 16 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 19 20%, and after May 24 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 66% of the 70 New Mexico 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 24 one year in ten, and holds off past October 15 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 11, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 145 days in a typical year, shorter than at 71% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 161 days one year in ten and falls short of 128 one year in ten. On average 182 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 17 days longer, to about May 27, and return around September 26. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 14 and March 13.

July is the warmest month at Alcalde, NM, averaging 88°F by day and 55°F at night; December is the coldest at 45°F and 15°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 86% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 2,583 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 73% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 33% of them (850) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 674. Precipitation totals 11.2 inches a year, most in August (1.8") and least in February (0.4"); May to September bring 57% of it.

The nearest other station, Espanola, NM, 5 miles south of Ohkay Owingeh, has a last frost 1 day later (May 11), a first frost 2 days later (October 6), a season 4 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Ohkay Owingeh usually arrives around November 29, and the last of the season around March 19. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Alcalde, NM, 1.7 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 83% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 52 days after the last snow.

ZIP 87566 is 2 miles from Alcalde, NM, which stands at 5,680 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 87511 (Alcalde). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 87566 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.