Fall in zone 7bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 88416 (Conchas Dam, NM)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Conchas Dam, NM (5 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 250% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)210 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone7b5 to 10°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 88416 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring mid-April to mid-May.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Mountain West and High Plains. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 2: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Mar 18 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 4 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 21 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 19 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 2 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 16 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 18 | Oct 24 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 4 | Nov 2 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 23 | Nov 12 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 88416
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 4) and first fall frost (Nov 2). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 7–21 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) | Jul 6–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) | Jul 13–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) | Jul 13–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Feb 7–21 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 7–21 | Mar 14–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 7–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–28 (transplant) Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 21–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–28 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 7–21 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–Sep 7 (transplant) Jul 27–Aug 24 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 7–21 | Mar 7–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 7–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–Sep 7 (transplant) Jul 27–Aug 24 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 10–24 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 13–Aug 3 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 7–21 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 7–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 7–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 14–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 7–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 10–24 | Feb 21–Mar 7 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 21–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 10–24 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 21–Oct 19 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 21–Mar 7 (transplant) | Sep 21–Oct 19 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 13–27 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 25–May 16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 7–14 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 7–14 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Mar 7–14 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 7–14 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 7–14 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 10–24 | Apr 11–18 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 14–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Conchas Dam, NM (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00292030), elevation 4,244 ft, 5.0 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosquero 1 NE, NM | 27 mi | May 3 | Oct 12 |
| Newkirk, NM | 28 mi | Apr 21 | Oct 21 |
| Roy, NM | 32 mi | Apr 30 | Oct 15 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 30 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 88416
When is the last frost in 88416?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 88416 is April 4. For a more cautious planting date, use April 21, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 88416?
The average first fall freeze is November 2. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 19.
What hardiness zone is 88416?
ZIP 88416 is in USDA zone 7b (5 to 10°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 88416 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
88439 87746 88421 88431 87733 Mosquero 87743 Roy 88401 Tucumcari 88417 Newkirk
Other ZIP codes in San Miguel County
87538 87552 87560 87562 87565 87569 87573 87583 87701 87711 87731 87742 87745 87746 88421 88439 All San Miguel County frost dates · New Mexico frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.