U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00292700 · New Mexico

Frost Dates for Eagle Nest, NM

NOAA weather station Eagle Nest (USC00292700), New Mexico · elevation 8280 ft (2524 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter July 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostJune 1650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season87 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Eagle Nest, NMSpring: a frost after June 4 in 9 years out of 10, after June 16 in half of the years, after July 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 1 in 1 year out of 10, before September 14 in half of the years, before September 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 87 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Jun 16First frost ~Sep 14Frost season at Eagle Nest, NMSpring: a frost after June 4 in 9 years out of 10, after June 16 in half of the years, after July 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 1 in 1 year out of 10, before September 14 in half of the years, before September 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 87 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Jun 16First frost ~Sep 14
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)July 5September 1
50% (typical)June 16September 14
90% (likely)June 4September 23
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
87 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 31
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
September 23

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost June 14 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost September 17 (3 days later). Frost-free season 93 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 Eagle Nest: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% July 5, 20% June 29, 30% June 23, 40% June 20, 50% June 16, 60% June 13, 70% June 10, 80% June 7, 90% June 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 June 12, 2023 June 25, 2024 June 3, 2026 June 1.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Jun 1Jul 1Jul 5Jun 16Jun 42021: June 122023: June 252024: June 32026: June 1Fall at Eagle Nest: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 1, 20% September 6, 30% September 9, 40% September 11, 50% September 14, 60% September 16, 70% September 18, 80% September 21, 90% September 23. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 September 16, 2023 September 20, 2024 September 14.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Sep 1Sep 14Sep 232021: September 162023: September 202024: September 14
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
2021June 12September 16
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023June 25September 20
2024June 3September 14
2025incomplete recordno data
2026June 1season not over yet

What these dates mean

Between the two 32 °F median dates—June 16 in spring and September 14 in fall—there are 87 days that define the core growing window for Eagle Nest. These 50 % dates are simply points where the chance of a light frost is even, not frost limits.

The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is July 5, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains; planting on June 4 carries a 90 % chance and is a gamble. In the autumn the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is September 1, with a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, while aiming for September 23 involves a 90 % gamble.

The 50 % hard-frost dates are May 31 in spring and September 23 in fall. A hard frost at 28 °F matters more than a light frost at 32 °F because the colder temperature can kill plant tissue that survives the milder freeze.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after July 5" 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 1" 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 Eagle Nest, NMNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cimarron, NM — 19 mi; 2 — Ocate, NM — 28 mi; 3 — Gascon, NM — 47 mi; 4 — Raton, NM — 52 mi; 5 — Las Vegas, NM — 63 mi.CO25 mi · 40 km1. Cimarron, NM — 19 mi12. Ocate, NM — 28 mi23. Gascon, NM — 47 mi34. Raton, NM — 52 mi45. Las Vegas, NM — 63 mi5
  1. Cimarron, NM 19 mi (30 km)
  2. Ocate, NM 28 mi (45 km)
  3. Gascon, NM 47 mi (76 km)
  4. Raton, NM 52 mi (84 km)
  5. Las Vegas, NM 63 mi (101 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 36.5575, -105.2628.