U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00298085 · New Mexico

Frost Dates for Santa Fe, NM

NOAA weather station Santa Fe 2 (USC00298085), New Mexico · elevation 6756 ft (2059 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season144 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Santa Fe, NMSpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 14 in half of the years, after May 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 25 in 1 year out of 10, before October 6 in half of the years, before October 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 14First frost ~Oct 6Frost season at Santa Fe, NMSpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 14 in half of the years, after May 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 25 in 1 year out of 10, before October 6 in half of the years, before October 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 14First frost ~Oct 6
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 28September 25
50% (typical)May 14October 6
90% (likely)April 30October 18
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
144 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 3
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 16

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 13 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 9 (3 days later). Frost-free season 147 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 Santa Fe: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 28, 20% May 23, 30% May 20, 40% May 17, 50% May 14, 60% May 11, 70% May 7, 80% May 4, 90% April 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 19, 2022 May 25, 2023 May 12, 2024 May 8, 2025 May 20, 2026 May 7.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 28May 14Apr 302021: May 192022: May 252023: May 122024: May 82025: May 202026: May 7Fall at Santa Fe: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 25, 20% September 29, 30% October 1, 40% October 4, 50% October 6, 60% October 9, 70% October 11, 80% October 15, 90% October 18. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 11, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 13, 2024 October 21, 2025 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 25Oct 6Oct 182021: October 112022: October 182023: October 132024: October 212025: October 19
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
2021May 19October 11
2022May 25October 18
2023May 12October 13
2024May 8October 21
2025May 20October 19
2026May 7season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 144 days between the 32 °F 50 % dates in Santa Fe mark the span where light frosts are less likely than not, giving gardeners a predictable window for most activities. The 50 % dates are May 14 and October 6; on May 14 there is an even-odds chance of a light frost later in the season, and on October 6 there is an even-odds chance of a light frost earlier in the season.

For tender crops the cautious spring date is May 28, when only a 10 % chance of a light frost remains, while the cautious fall date is September 25, with likewise a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier. The hard-frost (28 °F) 50 % dates are May 3 and October 16; a hard frost can injure plants that survive a light frost, making those dates an additional risk to watch.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 28" 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 25" 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 Santa Fe, NMNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Los Alamos, NM — 26 mi; 2 — Gascon, NM — 35 mi; 3 — Las Vegas, NM — 47 mi; 4 — Wolf Canyon, NM — 49 mi; 5 — Albuquerque, NM — 54 mi.NM25 mi · 40 km1. Los Alamos, NM — 26 mi12. Gascon, NM — 35 mi23. Las Vegas, NM — 47 mi34. Wolf Canyon, NM — 49 mi45. Albuquerque, NM — 54 mi5
  1. Los Alamos, NM 26 mi (41 km)
  2. Gascon, NM 35 mi (56 km)
  3. Las Vegas, NM 47 mi (75 km)
  4. Wolf Canyon, NM 49 mi (79 km)
  5. Albuquerque, NM 54 mi (87 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: 35.6194, -105.9753.