Frost dates for Fort Sumner, NM
At Fort Sumner, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 9 and the median first fall frost is Oct 30, for a typical growing season of 201 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Apr 25. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 7a to 7b.
- Apr 9Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Apr 25Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 30First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 201 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 6 | Apr 22 | May 5 |
| 32°F | Mar 24 | Apr 9 | Apr 25 |
| 28°F | Mar 7 | Mar 26 | Apr 12 |
| 24°F | Feb 25 | Mar 9 | Mar 29 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 5 | Oct 20 | Nov 1 |
| 32°F | Oct 16 | Oct 30 | Nov 9 |
| 28°F | Oct 24 | Nov 6 | Nov 19 |
| 24°F | Oct 31 | Nov 15 | Nov 29 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 160 days | 179 days | 197 days |
| 32°F | 180 days | 201 days | 220 days |
| 28°F | 203 days | 224 days | 247 days |
| 24°F | 225 days | 248 days | 270 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 100% |
Closest ZIP codes (each is closer to another station)
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 88119 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 17 km |
| 88134 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 22 km |
| 88121 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 33 km |
| 88417 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 52 km |
| 88124 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 54 km |
| 88427 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 55 km |
| 88118 | 7b | 5 to 10°F | 59 km |
| 88136 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 59 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USC00293294, at 34.4667, -104.2319, elevation 1227 m (4,025 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 18 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 114.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Fort Sumner 5 S (8 km)
- Sumner Lake (20 km)
- Yeso 2 S (36 km)
- Melrose (56 km)
- Ragland 3 SSW (56 km)
- Newkirk (67 km)
- Santa Rosa (70 km)
- Elida (79 km)
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.