U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00299031 · New Mexico

Frost Dates for Torreon Navajo Mission, NM

NOAA weather station Torreon Navajo Mission (USC00299031), New Mexico · elevation 6700 ft (2042 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter June 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season143 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Torreon Navajo Mission, NMSpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 15 in half of the years, after June 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 23 in 1 year out of 10, before October 5 in half of the years, before October 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 143 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 15First frost ~Oct 5Frost season at Torreon Navajo Mission, NMSpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 15 in half of the years, after June 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 23 in 1 year out of 10, before October 5 in half of the years, before October 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 143 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 15First frost ~Oct 5
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)June 2September 23
50% (typical)May 15October 5
90% (likely)April 30October 20
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
143 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 15

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 16 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 6 (1 day later). Frost-free season 145 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 Torreon Navajo Mission: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% June 2, 20% May 27, 30% May 22, 40% May 18, 50% May 15, 60% May 11, 70% May 8, 80% May 4, 90% April 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 May 5, 2024 May 24, 2025 May 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1Jun 2May 15Apr 302022: May 52024: May 242025: May 19Fall at Torreon Navajo Mission: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 23, 20% September 28, 30% October 1, 40% October 3, 50% October 5, 60% October 8, 70% October 11, 80% October 15, 90% October 20.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 23Oct 5Oct 20
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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022May 5incomplete record
2023incomplete recordincomplete record
2024May 24incomplete record
2025May 19incomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 143 days between the 50% light-frost dates, May 15 and October 5, bracket the span when tender crops can generally be grown with only a 50 % chance of a light frost on either side. For gardeners, the 50% date marks the median point of frost probability, neither a guarantee nor a rare event.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is June 2, when there is only a 10 % chance of a frost later; planting on April 30 would be a gamble because a frost is still likely (90 % chance). In fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is September 23, with only a 10 % chance that a frost has already arrived, while October 20 carries a 90 % chance that a frost will have come.

Hard frosts at 28 °F are more damaging than light frosts at 32 °F, so the May 1 and October 15 dates are critical thresholds.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after June 2" 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 23" 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 Torreon Navajo Mission, NMNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Wolf Canyon, NM — 26 mi; 2 — Los Alamos, NM — 48 mi; 3 — Albuquerque Valley, NM — 60 mi; 4 — Albuquerque, NM — 61 mi; 5 — Santa Fe, NM — 69 mi.NM25 mi · 40 km1. Wolf Canyon, NM — 26 mi12. Los Alamos, NM — 48 mi23. Albuquerque Valley, NM — 60 mi34. Albuquerque, NM — 61 mi45. Santa Fe, NM — 69 mi5
  1. Wolf Canyon, NM 26 mi (42 km)
  2. Los Alamos, NM 48 mi (78 km)
  3. Albuquerque Valley, NM 60 mi (97 km)
  4. Albuquerque, NM 61 mi (99 km)
  5. Santa Fe, NM 69 mi (111 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: 35.7992, -107.1814.