U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00292510 · New Mexico

Frost Dates for Dilia, NM

NOAA weather station Dilia (USC00292510), New Mexico · elevation 5150 ft (1570 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 16only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season162 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Dilia, NMSpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 13 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 162 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 13Frost season at Dilia, NMSpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 13 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 162 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 13
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 16September 29
50% (typical)May 2October 13
90% (likely)April 20October 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
162 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 21
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 23

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 3 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 15 (2 days later). Frost-free season 162 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Dilia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 16, 20% May 11, 30% May 7, 40% May 4, 50% May 2, 60% April 30, 70% April 27, 80% April 24, 90% April 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 16May 2Apr 202021: April 24Fall at Dilia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 29, 20% October 4, 30% October 7, 40% October 10, 50% October 13, 60% October 15, 70% October 18, 80% October 21, 90% October 25.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 29Oct 13Oct 25
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021April 24incomplete record
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023incomplete recordno data
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 162-day span between the 32°F 50% dates, May 2 and October 13, marks the interval in which a light frost is less likely than not for Dilia. Within this window, tender crops can be grown with reduced risk of a light freeze.

In spring, the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 16, which carries a 10 % chance of a frost later than that day; planting on April 20 would involve a 90 % chance and is a gamble. In fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is September 29, with only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, whereas waiting until October 25 would mean a 90 % chance of an earlier frost.

Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost, so the median hard-frost dates of April 21 and October 23 are especially important for gardeners in this location.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after May 16" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before September 29" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Dilia, NMNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Las Vegas, NM — 33 mi; 2 — Pedernal, NM — 46 mi; 3 — Conchas Dam, NM — 51 mi; 4 — Gascon, NM — 54 mi; 5 — Sumner Lake, NM — 55 mi.NM25 mi · 40 km1. Las Vegas, NM — 33 mi12. Pedernal, NM — 46 mi23. Conchas Dam, NM — 51 mi34. Gascon, NM — 54 mi45. Sumner Lake, NM — 55 mi5
  1. Las Vegas, NM 33 mi (53 km)
  2. Pedernal, NM 46 mi (74 km)
  3. Conchas Dam, NM 51 mi (82 km)
  4. Gascon, NM 54 mi (86 km)
  5. Sumner Lake, NM 55 mi (89 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 35.1842, -105.0569.