The growing season across New Mexico varies considerably,
due to the large variation in elevation. The lowest
elevations are near 3,000 feet in the far southeast plains
(around Jal), while the highest elevations tower above 13,000
feet (Wheeler Peak). The San Juan, Rio Grande, Canadian and
Pecos river valleys also affect the growing season, as cold
air sinks into the valleys on many fall and winter nights.
See the graphic example farther below. To complicate matters,
there is often what is called a 'thermal belt' above the
cold pool of air in the valley. This is a layer of air that
is considerably warmer than farther down in the valley.
This thermal belt is usually located near the mid slope of
a mountain or more gently sloping terrain. A good example
exists around Albuquerque. At the valley floor, temperatures
can be ten or more degrees colder than at the Albuuqerque
Sunport, while the Sunport will generally be several degrees
warmer
than
the foothills.
A 'freeze' is considered to have occurred whenever the temperature
drops to 32 degrees or lower. A growing season is calculated
by taking the number of days between the last freeze in the
spring and the first freeze in the fall. However, plants
or crops do not necessarily follow this rule. A low temperature
of 31 or 32 degrees for a short period of time, say less
than two hours, probably will not harm most plants
or crops. But if the temperaure drops to 28 or 29 degrees
for a few hours, most vegetation will be damaged. As a side
note, frost can form when a solid surface (like a car or
plants) is in contact with the air and the solid surface's
temperature drops to 32 degrees or colder. The extent of
the frost depends on how much moisture is in the air.
If the temperature is above 32 degrees and there is enough
moisture
in the air, then dew (a liquid) forms instead of frost (a
solid).
The graphic
below displays freeze data for locations across New Mexico,
including the earliest, latest and median (average) freeze
dates. Place your cursor over a location to view the data.
For a tabular view of the same data shown below, click
here.
The table below
shows the average, earliest and latest freeze (32 degrees
or colder) dates for locations around the Albuquerque metro
area, as well as the first freeze date in recent years.
Dates
of the First Fall Freeze Around the Albuquerque Metro
Area
Location
Elev.
(ft)
Early
Average
Late
2006
2005
2004
2003
Sunport
(1931-2006)
5300
OCT
8,
1976
OCT
31
NOV
20,
2001
NOV
11
NOV
16
NOV
2
NOV
7
Foothills (1991-2006)
6120
SEP
25,
2000
OCT
16
NOV
20,
2001
OCT 26
NOV 16
OCT 14
OCT 28
S.
Valley (1948-2006)
4955
SEP
4,
1961
OCT
17
NOV
2,
2000
OCT
19
NOV
1
OCT
28
OCT
28
Los Lunas (1957-2006)
4840
SEP
19,
2006
OCT
21
NOV
9,
1983
SEP 19
OCT 30
OCT 14
OCT 20
Corrales
(1986-2006)
5015
SEP18,
2006
OCT
10
OCT
24,
2005
SEP
18
OCT
24
OCT
14
OCT
16
The table below reveals the average number of
days for the growing season around the Albuquerque metro area
(average number of days between the last freeze in the spring
and first freeze in the autumn each year.)
Average
Growing Season Albuquerque Metro Area
Location
Average
Days
Sunport
199
South Valley
182
Foothills
176
Los Lunas
165
Bernalillo
163
Sandia Park
150
Yearly growing season charts for the Albuquerque
Sunport and Los Lunas illustrate how the effects of elevation
and terrain can affect the growing season. The Los Lunas site
is located at a lower elevation (about 500 feet lower than the
Sunport) in the Rio Grande Valley, and cold
air drainage
causes lower early morning temperatures. This typically results
in a shorter growing season near the valley floor.
Growing Season by Year for Albuquerque
(click map to enlarge)
Growing Season by Year for Los Lunas
(click map to enlarge)
National Weather Service
Albuquerque Weather Forecast Office
2341 Clark Carr LP SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Ph: 505.243.0702
Web Master's Email: ABQ Webmaster
Page Author: WFO Albuquerque, NM
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