Estancia climate

Estancia Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Estancia 4N, 7.6 km from Estancia, elevation 6140 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Estancia 4N. 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 18 and the first fall freeze around October 1, a growing season of about 135 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 1, first September 24
Median at 32°F
last May 18, first October 1
Median at 28°F
last May 5, first October 10

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 15Jun 9Jun 6Jun 4Jun 1May 30May 27May 23May 18
32°FJun 2May 29May 24May 21May 18May 15May 12May 9May 5
28°FMay 21May 15May 12May 9May 5May 3Apr 30Apr 27Apr 21
24°FMay 12May 6May 2Apr 30Apr 26Apr 23Apr 19Apr 15Apr 10
20°FMay 3Apr 26Apr 21Apr 17Apr 13Apr 9Apr 5Apr 1Mar 28
16°FApr 20Apr 14Apr 8Apr 4Mar 31Mar 28Mar 23Mar 17Mar 10

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 12Sep 16Sep 19Sep 22Sep 24Sep 26Sep 28Oct 1Oct 4
32°FSep 21Sep 25Sep 27Sep 30Oct 1Oct 3Oct 6Oct 10Oct 15
28°FSep 27Oct 1Oct 4Oct 8Oct 10Oct 14Oct 17Oct 21Oct 26
24°FOct 6Oct 11Oct 15Oct 18Oct 21Oct 24Oct 27Oct 31Nov 3
20°FOct 13Oct 19Oct 24Oct 27Oct 30Nov 2Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11
16°FOct 23Oct 29Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 15Nov 20

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°F13012412011711311010610296
32°F153147143139135132128123118
28°F175168164159156152149144137
24°F197190185181176172168162155
20°F219212205201196191186181174
16°F244236229224220215210204195

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
5,480
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
547
Growing degree days, base 40°F
5,044
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,814
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,760
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,865
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,125

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,03100
February81501
March681017
April452085
May21014283
June26119543
July2221683
August5155615
September9137398
October3990128
November73808
December1,03200

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 7.6 km from Estancia. 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 USC00293060 (Estancia 4N). Public domain.