Frost Dates for 88230 — Dexter, New Mexico

Half of springs at Roswell Ind Air Pk, NM see their last 32°F night by March 29; only one in ten is past it by March 8, and one in ten still has one after April 15. Planting tender crops after April 4 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 9 20%, and after April 15 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 66% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 7 in half of years, as early as October 26 one year in ten, and holds off past November 19 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 16; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 1, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 223 days in a typical year, longer than at 87% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 247 days one year in ten and falls short of 200 one year in ten. On average 87 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 April 9, and return around October 30. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 89%.

July is the warmest month at Roswell Ind Air Pk, NM, averaging 97°F by day and 70°F at night; December is the coldest at 57°F and 28°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 41% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,604 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 97% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 41% of them (2,306) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 1,029. Precipitation totals 11.8 inches a year, most in July (1.8") and least in January (0.4"); May to September bring 64% of it.

The nearest other station, Roswell Climat, NM, 15 miles northwest of Dexter, has a last frost 15 days later (April 13), a first frost 8 days earlier (October 30), a season 26 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Dexter 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, 11 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 50 days after the last snow.

ZIP 88230 is 11 miles from Roswell Ind Air Pk, NM, which stands at 3,649 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 88230 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.