Frost dates for Santa Fe, New Mexico
In a typical year, Santa Fe’s last spring frost lands around May 14 and the first fall frost around Oct 6, a growing season of about 145 days. These are odds drawn from 30-year NOAA climate normals, not a promise. USDA zone 7a.
Right now the typical frost season has arrived; planting waits for spring.
| Odds | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|
| 10 percent | Apr 30 | Sep 25 |
| 50 percent | May 14 | Oct 6 |
| 90 percent | May 28 | Oct 18 |
A 10 percent year is an early year, a 90 percent year a late one. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the 90 percent side of the last-frost band.
Soil in Santa Fe is typically around 49°F at 4 inches this time of year, estimated from the last two weeks of normal air temperatures.
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Common questions
When is the last frost in Santa Fe, New Mexico?
Santa Fe’s last spring frost falls around May 14 in a typical year. One year in ten it is done by April 30, and one year in ten frost holds on until May 28. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the late side of that band.
When is the first fall frost in Santa Fe?
The first fall frost arrives around October 6 in a typical year, as early as September 25 in an early year and as late as October 18 in a late one.
How long is the growing season in Santa Fe?
About 145 days, counted between the typical last spring frost and the typical first fall frost.
What USDA zone is Santa Fe in?
Santa Fe is in USDA hardiness zone 7a under the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Dates come from 30-year NOAA climate normals for the nearest reporting station. They describe odds, not a forecast.
Nearby cities
- Rio Rancho, NM (around Apr 8 to Nov 1)
- Albuquerque, NM (around Apr 18 to Oct 24)
- Farmington, NM (around May 2 to Oct 13)
- Durango, CO (around May 21 to Oct 2)
- Gallup, NM (around May 11 to Oct 7)
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