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

Planting zone for 88317 — Cloudcroft, NM

ZIP code 88317 (Cloudcroft, Otero County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is May 18 and the first fall frost October 1.

Where ZIP 88317 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostMay 18
First frostOct 1
2012 zone6b

Was 6b on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Cloudcroft, 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 Cloudcroft, NM

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 18median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsJune 1only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 1median — 10% chance by Sep 18
Growing season134 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around May 5 and returns around October 13.

From the NOAA station Cloudcroft, NM — 7 miles away, elevation 8,678 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 88317

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 27
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 27 – May 11
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 27 – May 11
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 27 – May 11
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
TomatoesTransplant · May 25 – Jun 8
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Jun 1 – Jun 15
BeansSow outdoors · May 25 – Jun 8
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 25 – Jun 8
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 25 – Jun 8
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 6 – Aug 20
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 17 – Oct 22
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 18) and first fall frost (Oct 1) 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 88317 came on Mar 20 — 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 2).

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 7a in New Mexico

532 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New Mexico, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. 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 103

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 229

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 163

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 Cloudcroft, NM.

Soil in Cloudcroft, NM

The center of ZIP 88317 is mapped as No Digital Data Available: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 88317; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cloudcroft, NM

Summer high74 °Faverage high, June
Winter low19 °Faverage low, January
Hot days0days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights172nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days1,187base 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
Precipitation26.7 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32 °FJanuary: average high 42 °F, low 19 °F 42°19° JanFebruary: average high 45 °F, low 22 °F 45°22° FebMarch: average high 51 °F, low 26 °F 51°26° MarApril: average high 58 °F, low 31 °F 58°31° AprMay: average high 66 °F, low 38 °F 66°38° MayJune: average high 74 °F, low 45 °F 74°45° JunJuly: average high 72 °F, low 48 °F 72°48° JulAugust: average high 71 °F, low 47 °F 71°47° AugSeptember: average high 67 °F, low 42 °F 67°42° SepOctober: average high 60 °F, low 34 °F 60°34° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 26 °F 51°26° NovDecember: average high 43 °F, low 19 °F 43°19° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 1.33 in precipitation 1.3 JanFebruary: 1.64 in precipitation 1.6 FebMarch: 1.68 in precipitation 1.7 MarApril: 0.79 in precipitation 0.8 AprMay: 0.94 in precipitation 0.9 MayJune: 1.60 in precipitation 1.6 JunJuly: 5.36 in precipitation 5.4 JulAugust: 4.85 in precipitation 4.8 AugSeptember: 2.78 in precipitation 2.8 SepOctober: 1.96 in precipitation 2.0 OctNovember: 1.54 in precipitation 1.5 NovDecember: 2.26 in precipitation 2.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Cloudcroft, NM (7 mi away); precipitation: Cloudcroft 2.3 S, NM (4 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.

883497a
Sunspot, NM · 7 mi
883258a
High Rolls Mountain Park, NM · 8 mi
883477a
Sacramento, NM · 8 mi
883377b
La Luz, NM · 13 mi
883547a
Weed, NM · 16 mi
883118a
Alamogordo, NM · 16 mi
883507b
Timberon, NM · 18 mi
883147b
Bent, NM · 19 mi

New Mexico planting zones →

Questions about 88317

What planting zone is ZIP code 88317?

ZIP code 88317 (Cloudcroft, NM) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Cloudcroft, NM?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 88317 is May 18; after June 1 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cloudcroft station.

When is the first frost in Cloudcroft, NM?

The median first fall frost near 88317 is October 1, giving a median frost-free growing season of 134 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 88317?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 23 – Apr 6 and set transplants outside around May 25 – Jun 8, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 88317 get?

About 26.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cloudcroft 2.3 S station).

How hot do summers get in Cloudcroft, NM?

The average high peaks at 74 °F in June, with about 0 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Cloudcroft, NM in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 88317 came on Mar 20 in 2026, 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 2), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Cloudcroft, NM?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 88317 is 14 h 19 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 88317 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 88317 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.