Frost Dates for 88310 — Alamogordo, New Mexico

Half of springs at Alamogordo, NM see their last 32°F night by March 9; only one in ten is past it by February 18, and one in ten still has one after March 31. Planting tender crops after March 19 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after March 25 20%, and after March 31 10%. The 22 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 99% of the 70 New Mexico stations behind this site's ZIP pages, so a fixed calendar date is a gamble here.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 18 in half of years, as early as November 3 one year in ten, and holds off past December 3 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around November 29; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 17, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 251 days in a typical year, longer than at 99% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 274 days one year in ten and falls short of 224 one year in ten. On average 55 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 March 25, and return around November 8. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 98% of winters and 16°F in 24%.

July is the warmest month at Alamogordo, NM, averaging 93°F by day and 70°F at night; December is the coldest at 54°F and 33°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to February (a 90% chance or more). From April to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, March still brings one in 72% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 5,414 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 87% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 42% of them (2,255) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 967. Precipitation totals 10.8 inches a year, most in August (2.0") and least in March (0.3"); May to September bring 57% of it.

The nearest other station, White Sands Natl Mon, NM, 12 miles west of Alamogordo and 374 feet lower, has a last frost 44 days later (April 22), a first frost 27 days earlier (October 22), a season 68 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Alamogordo usually arrives around November 23, and the last of the season around March 20. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Mountain Park, NM, 11.9 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 11 days before the last snow.

ZIP 88310 is 6 miles from Alamogordo, NM, which stands at 4,380 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 88310 in zone 8a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.