Frost Dates for 88203 — Roswell, New Mexico

Half of springs at Roswell Climat, NM see their last 32°F night by April 13; only one in ten is past it by March 31, and one in ten still has one after April 28. Planting tender crops after April 20 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 24 20%, and after April 28 10%. The 15 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 46% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 30 in half of years, as early as October 16 one year in ten, and holds off past November 11 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 7 days later, around November 6; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 16, 12 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 216 days one year in ten and falls short of 177 one year in ten. On average 115 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 12 days longer, to about April 25, and return around October 21. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 6 and February 6.

July is the warmest month at Roswell Climat, NM, averaging 94°F by day and 66°F at night; January is the coldest at 56°F and 23°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 88% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,585 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 74% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 39% of them (1,789) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 922. Precipitation totals 11.7 inches a year, most in July (2.0") and least in January (0.4"); May to September bring 59% of it.

The nearest other station, Roswell Ind Air Pk, NM, 4 miles south of Roswell, has a last frost 15 days earlier (March 29), a first frost 8 days later (November 7), a season 26 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Roswell usually arrives around November 30, and the last of the season around February 7. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Roswell Ind Air Pk, NM, 4 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 96% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 65 days after the last snow.

ZIP 88203 is 2 miles from Roswell Climat, NM, which stands at 3,605 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 88203 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.