Frost Dates for 88061 — Silver City, New Mexico

Half of springs at Fort Bayard, NM see their last 32°F night by April 4; only one in ten is past it by March 14, and one in ten still has one after April 22. Planting tender crops after April 11 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 15 20%, and after April 22 10%. The 18 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 80% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 8 in half of years, as early as October 23 one year in ten, and holds off past November 24 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around November 19; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 6, 16 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 216 days in a typical year, longer than at 86% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 244 days one year in ten and falls short of 192 one year in ten. On average 92 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 16 days longer, to about April 20, and return around October 28. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 48%.

July is the warmest month at Fort Bayard, NM, averaging 88°F by day and 64°F at night; December is the coldest at 55°F and 30°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 58% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,243 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 67% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 38% of them (1,611) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 808. Precipitation totals 16.2 inches a year, most in July (3.9") and least in April (0.3"); May to September bring 64% of it.

The nearest other station, Lordsburg 4 SE, NM, 36 miles southwest of Silver City and 1,855 feet lower, has a last frost 23 days later (April 27), a first frost 14 days earlier (October 25), a season 37 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Silver City usually arrives around November 30, and the last of the season around February 22. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Silver City 3.4 SW, NM, 0.9 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 41 days after the last snow.

ZIP 88061 is 10 miles from Fort Bayard, NM, which stands at 6,099 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 88061 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.