Frost Dates for 88101 — Clovis, New Mexico

Half of springs at Clovis, NM see their last 32°F night by April 14; only one in ten is past it by March 28, and one in ten still has one after April 26. Planting tender crops after April 19 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 22 20%, and after April 26 10%. The 12 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 93% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 29 in half of years, as early as October 17 one year in ten, and holds off past November 10 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around November 8; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 17, 9 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 197 days in a typical year, longer than at 73% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 217 days one year in ten and falls short of 178 one year in ten. On average 96 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 April 24, and return around October 19. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 98% of winters, usually between December 11 and February 15.

July is the warmest month at Clovis, NM, averaging 92°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 53°F and 26°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 84% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,459 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 73% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 39% of them (1,720) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 893. Precipitation totals 20.0 inches a year, most in August (3.8") and least in February (0.4"); May to September bring 66% of it.

The nearest other station, Portales, NM, 19 miles south of Clovis and 285 feet lower, has a last frost 1 day later (April 15), a first frost 3 days earlier (October 26), a season 4 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Clovis usually arrives around November 16, and the last of the season around March 23. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Clovis, NM, 1.5 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 88101 is 2 miles from Clovis, NM, which stands at 4,295 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 88101 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.