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

Planting zone for 88427 — Mcalister, NM

ZIP code 88427 (Mcalister, Quay County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 24 and the first fall frost October 21.

Where ZIP 88427 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 frostApr 24
First frostOct 21
2012 zone7a

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 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Mcalister, 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 Mcalister, NM

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 24median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 6only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season177 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 14 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Ragland 3 Ssw, NM — within 1 mile, elevation 5,059 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 88427

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Apr 3
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
TomatoesTransplant · May 1 – May 15
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 8 – May 22
BeansSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 26 – Sep 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 7 – Nov 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 21) 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 88427 came on Feb 15 — 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 28).

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 Mcalister, NM.

Soil in Mcalister, NM

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 88427 is Sparks — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classPrime farmland if irrigatedUSDA classification

Map unit: Sparks loam, 0 to 2 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 88427; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Mcalister, NM

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low23 °Faverage low, January
Hot days62days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights122nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,792base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 30 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 49 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation16.7 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall17 inper year; 11 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 51 °F, low 23 °F 51°23° JanFebruary: average high 56 °F, low 25 °F 56°25° FebMarch: average high 64 °F, low 31 °F 64°31° MarApril: average high 72 °F, low 38 °F 72°38° AprMay: average high 81 °F, low 48 °F 81°48° MayJune: average high 90 °F, low 57 °F 90°57° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 61 °F 91°61° JulAugust: average high 88 °F, low 60 °F 88°60° AugSeptember: average high 82 °F, low 53 °F 82°53° SepOctober: average high 71 °F, low 42 °F 71°42° OctNovember: average high 60 °F, low 31 °F 60°31° NovDecember: average high 51 °F, low 23 °F 51°23° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″January: 0.55 in precipitation, 3.3 in snowfall 0.6❄3 JanFebruary: 0.42 in precipitation, 2.9 in snowfall 0.4❄3 FebMarch: 0.79 in precipitation, 2.2 in snowfall 0.8❄2 MarApril: 0.83 in precipitation, 1.4 in snowfall 0.8❄1 AprMay: 1.58 in precipitation 1.6 MayJune: 1.82 in precipitation 1.8 JunJuly: 3.45 in precipitation 3.5 JulAugust: 2.89 in precipitation 2.9 AugSeptember: 1.82 in precipitation 1.8 SepOctober: 1.32 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 1.3❄1 OctNovember: 0.57 in precipitation, 1.9 in snowfall 0.6❄2 NovDecember: 0.66 in precipitation, 4.6 in snowfall 0.7❄5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Ragland 3 Ssw, NM (within 1 mile); precipitation: Ragland 3 Ssw, NM (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

884337a
Quay, NM · 9 mi
881217a
House, NM · 14 mi
881247a
Melrose, NM · 18 mi
884017a
Tucumcari, NM · 20 mi
881207a
Grady, NM · 21 mi
884177a
Cuervo, NM · 29 mi
881347a
Taiban, NM · 32 mi
884347a
San Jon, NM · 34 mi

New Mexico planting zones →

Questions about 88427

What planting zone is ZIP code 88427?

ZIP code 88427 (Mcalister, 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 Mcalister, NM?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 88427 is April 24; after May 6 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Ragland 3 Ssw station.

When is the first frost in Mcalister, NM?

The median first fall frost near 88427 is October 21, giving a median frost-free growing season of 177 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 88427?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 27 – Mar 13 and set transplants outside around May 1 – May 15, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 88427 get?

About 16.7 inches of precipitation a year and 17 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Ragland 3 Ssw station).

How hot do summers get in Mcalister, NM?

The average high peaks at 91 °F in July, with about 62 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 88427 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Sparks at the center of ZIP 88427: loam, well drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Mcalister, NM in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 88427 came on Feb 15 in 2026, 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 28), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Mcalister, NM?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 88427 is 14 h 30 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.