U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00023054 · New Mexico

Frost Dates for Las Vegas, NM

NOAA weather station Las Vegas Municipal Airport (USW00023054), New Mexico · elevation 6874 ft (2095 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season149 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Las Vegas, NMSpring: a frost after April 28 in 9 years out of 10, after May 10 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 149 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 10First frost ~Oct 7Frost season at Las Vegas, NMSpring: a frost after April 28 in 9 years out of 10, after May 10 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 149 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 10First frost ~Oct 7
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)May 23September 26
50% (typical)May 10October 7
90% (likely)April 28October 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
149 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 16

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 12 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 9 (2 days later). Frost-free season 150 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 Las Vegas: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 23, 20% May 19, 30% May 15, 40% May 12, 50% May 10, 60% May 7, 70% May 4, 80% May 1, 90% April 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 30, 2022 May 22, 2023 April 29, 2024 April 29, 2025 May 7, 2026 May 7.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 23May 10Apr 282021: April 302022: May 222023: April 292024: April 292025: May 72026: May 7Fall at Las Vegas: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 26, 20% September 30, 30% October 3, 40% October 5, 50% October 7, 60% October 9, 70% October 12, 80% October 15, 90% October 19. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 12, 2022 October 13, 2023 October 13, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 28.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 26Oct 7Oct 192021: October 122022: October 132023: October 132024: October 162025: October 28
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 30October 12
2022May 22October 13
2023April 29October 13
2024April 29October 16
2025May 7October 28
2026May 7season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 149 days between the 50% dates in Las Vegas, New Mexico, bookend the period when light frosts are equally likely. The 50% date is May 10; at that point the chance of a light frost later in the season is 50%. The 50% date is October 7; at that point the chance of a light frost earlier in the season is 50%.

For a cautious plan, tender crops should be set out after the spring cautious date of May 23, which carries only a 10% chance of a later frost, and harvested before the fall cautious date of September 26, which carries only a 10% chance of an earlier frost. Hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than light frost at 32 °F, so the May 1 and October 16 hard-frost dates are especially important.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 23" 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 26" 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 Las Vegas, NMNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Gascon, NM — 24 mi; 2 — Dilia, NM — 33 mi; 3 — Ocate, NM — 37 mi; 4 — Santa Fe, NM — 47 mi; 5 — Conchas Dam, NM — 56 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Gascon, NM — 24 mi12. Dilia, NM — 33 mi23. Ocate, NM — 37 mi34. Santa Fe, NM — 47 mi45. Conchas Dam, NM — 56 mi5
  1. Gascon, NM 24 mi (38 km)
  2. Dilia, NM 33 mi (53 km)
  3. Ocate, NM 37 mi (59 km)
  4. Santa Fe, NM 47 mi (75 km)
  5. Conchas Dam, NM 56 mi (90 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: 35.6542, -105.1419.