Frost Dates for 88352 — Tularosa, New Mexico

Half of springs at Tularosa, NM see their last 32°F night by April 5; only one in ten is past it by March 17, 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 17 20%, and after April 22 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 4 in half of years, as early as October 20 one year in ten, and holds off past November 19 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around November 15; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 7, 15 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 212 days in a typical year, longer than at 81% of the 70 New Mexico stations; it reaches 236 days one year in ten and falls short of 191 one year in ten. On average 73 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 14 days longer, to about April 19, and return around October 27. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 79%.

July is the warmest month at Tularosa, NM, averaging 93°F by day and 66°F at night; January is the coldest at 56°F and 29°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 64% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,863 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 79% of the 70 New Mexico stations. 40% of them (1,949) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 911. Precipitation totals 11.1 inches a year, most in July (1.8") and least in March (0.4"); May to September bring 59% of it.

The nearest other station, Alamogordo, NM, 13 miles south of Tularosa, has a last frost 27 days earlier (March 9), a first frost 14 days later (November 18), a season 39 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Tularosa 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, 15.2 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 16 days after the last snow.

ZIP 88352 is 2 miles from Tularosa, NM, which stands at 4,422 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 88352 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.