Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 88311 — Alamogordo, NM

ZIP code 88311 (Alamogordo, Otero County) is in USDA zone 8a: the coldest winter night averages 10 to 15 °F. The median last spring frost is March 9 and the first fall frost November 18.

Where ZIP 88311 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone8a10 to 15 °F
Coldest night−12.2 to −9.4 °C
Last frostMar 9
First frostNov 18
2012 zone8a

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 8a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Alamogordo, NM…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Alamogordo, NM

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 9median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 31only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 18median — 10% chance by Nov 3
Growing season251 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 18 and returns around November 29.

From the NOAA station Alamogordo, NM — 7 miles away, elevation 4,380 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 88311

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 26 – Feb 9
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 26 – Feb 16
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 29 – Jan 12
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 9 – Feb 23
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 9 – Feb 23
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 12 – Jan 26
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 16 – Mar 30
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 29 – Jan 12
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 23 – Apr 6
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 23 – Oct 7
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 4 – Dec 9
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 9) and first fall frost (Nov 18) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 88311 came on Feb 9 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Feb 11).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 8a in New Mexico

542 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New Mexico, and rated by the USDA to survive 10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 29

Arizona cypress50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona madrone30 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −4 °FArizona sycamore80 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −8 °FArizona walnut50 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fblack walnut100 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Shrubs 104

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican tarwort3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °FApache plume6 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 232

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican alpine speedwell1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican bistort1.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 167

alkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °Fanalogue sedge1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Farctic bluegrass2 ft · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FArizona cottontop4 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °F

Vines 1

western white clematis1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Alamogordo, NM.

Soil in Alamogordo, NM

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 88311 is Holloman — very fine sandy loam, well drained.

TextureVery fine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH7.9alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Holloman-Gypsum land complex, 0 to 1 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 88311; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Alamogordo, NM

Summer high94 °Faverage high, June
Winter low33 °Faverage low, January
Hot days89days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights55nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,414base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 19 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 59 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation10.6 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall2 inper year

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 55 °F, low 33 °F 55°33° JanFebruary: average high 60 °F, low 37 °F 60°37° FebMarch: average high 68 °F, low 43 °F 68°43° MarApril: average high 76 °F, low 51 °F 76°51° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 59 °F 85°59° MayJune: average high 94 °F, low 68 °F 94°68° JunJuly: average high 93 °F, low 70 °F 93°70° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 68 °F 91°68° AugSeptember: average high 86 °F, low 63 °F 86°63° SepOctober: average high 75 °F, low 51 °F 75°51° OctNovember: average high 64 °F, low 41 °F 64°41° NovDecember: average high 54 °F, low 33 °F 54°33° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″January: 0.68 in precipitation, 1 in snowfall 0.7❄1 JanFebruary: 0.59 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 0.6 FebMarch: 0.33 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 0.3 MarApril: 0.27 in precipitation 0.3 AprMay: 0.46 in precipitation 0.5 MayJune: 0.56 in precipitation 0.6 JunJuly: 1.62 in precipitation 1.6 JulAugust: 1.96 in precipitation 2.0 AugSeptember: 1.49 in precipitation 1.5 SepOctober: 1.01 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 1.0 OctNovember: 0.56 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 0.6 NovDecember: 1.10 in precipitation, 0.9 in snowfall 1.1❄1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Alamogordo, NM (7 mi away); precipitation: Alamogordo, NM (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

5 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

883108a
Alamogordo, NM · 6 mi
883308a
Holloman Air Force Base, NM · 7 mi
883258a
High Rolls Mountain Park, NM · 9 mi
883497a
Sunspot, NM · 11 mi
883377b
La Luz, NM · 14 mi
883177a
Cloudcroft, NM · 16 mi
883477a
Sacramento, NM · 19 mi
883147b
Bent, NM · 22 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Alamogordo → · New Mexico planting zones →

Questions about 88311

What planting zone is ZIP code 88311?

ZIP code 88311 (Alamogordo, NM) is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 10 to 15 °F (−12.2 to −9.4 °C).

When is the last frost in Alamogordo, NM?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 88311 is March 9; after March 31 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Alamogordo station.

When is the first frost in Alamogordo, NM?

The median first fall frost near 88311 is November 18, giving a median frost-free growing season of 251 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 88311?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Jan 12 – Jan 26 and set transplants outside around Mar 16 – Mar 30, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 88311 get?

About 10.6 inches of precipitation a year and 2 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Alamogordo station).

How hot do summers get in Alamogordo, NM?

The average high peaks at 94 °F in June, with about 89 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 88311 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Holloman at the center of ZIP 88311: very fine sandy loam, well drained, pH about 7.9 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Alamogordo, NM in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 88311 came on Feb 9 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Feb 11), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Alamogordo, NM?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 88311 is 14 h 19 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.