Durango climate

Durango Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Durango, 2.8 km from Durango, elevation 6761 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Durango. A median date has an even chance of a later freeze in spring, or an earlier one in fall.

The last spring freeze typically comes around May 21 and the first fall freeze around October 2, a growing season of about 134 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 2, first September 25
Median at 32°F
last May 21, first October 2
Median at 28°F
last May 7, first October 12

Last freeze in spring

The chance of a later freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one spring in ten still freezes after the date; planting after the 10 percent date for 32°F is the cautious choice.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FJun 19Jun 13Jun 9Jun 5Jun 2May 31May 29May 24May 20
32°FJun 7Jun 1May 29May 25May 21May 18May 15May 13May 7
28°FMay 27May 19May 14May 11May 7May 5May 2Apr 29Apr 24
24°FMay 8May 2Apr 29Apr 26Apr 22Apr 18Apr 15Apr 11Apr 5
20°FApr 22Apr 14Apr 10Apr 7Apr 2Mar 30Mar 24Mar 19Mar 12
16°FApr 5Mar 29Mar 21Mar 17Mar 13Mar 9Mar 6Mar 1Feb 25

First freeze in fall

The chance of an earlier freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one fall in ten freezes before the date.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FSep 11Sep 16Sep 19Sep 22Sep 25Sep 27Sep 29Oct 2Oct 5
32°FSep 19Sep 24Sep 27Sep 30Oct 2Oct 5Oct 7Oct 11Oct 15
28°FSep 29Oct 2Oct 5Oct 9Oct 12Oct 14Oct 17Oct 19Oct 23
24°FOct 7Oct 12Oct 16Oct 19Oct 21Oct 24Oct 27Oct 30Nov 4
20°FOct 17Oct 21Oct 26Oct 29Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11Nov 16
16°FOct 26Oct 31Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11Nov 15Nov 18Nov 21Nov 25

Growing season length

Days between the last spring and first fall freeze at each threshold, with the chance of a season at least that long.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°F1311261211171131091049992
32°F152146141137134130126120112
28°F176170165161157152148143134
24°F203195190187182178174169161
20°F237228221216211206200194187
16°F265257252246241236230224216

How often it gets that cold

The share of years with at least one night at or below each temperature.

36°F or colder
100% of years
32°F or colder
100% of years
28°F or colder
100% of years
24°F or colder
100% of years
20°F or colder
100% of years
16°F or colder
100% of years

Degree days

A degree day is one degree of the daily mean temperature beyond a base, for one day. Heating degree days count cold (the fuel a house burns), cooling degree days heat, growing degree days the warmth a crop needs; each crop has its own base.

Heating degree days, base 65°F
6,657
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
276
Growing degree days, base 40°F
4,116
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,021
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,089
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,324
Growing degree days, base 60°F
716

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,20600
February93000
March78704
April558034
May3363162
June9346404
July10133587
August2281524
September15912308
October508064
November85802
December1,18900

What this means

NOAA computes these from the daily lows at the station over 1991-2020, fitting the dates of each year's last and first freeze to a distribution, so a date can be stated at any level of risk. 36°F is a frost risk for tender plants on a clear, calm night, since the ground cools below the air above it; 32°F is a freeze; 28°F is a hard freeze that kills most annuals.

The station is 2.8 km from Durango. Low ground, valleys and open fields freeze earlier and later than a town center or a hillside.

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Sources

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020, annual and seasonal normals for station USC00052441 (Durango). Public domain.