We are 2 weeks into Fall. And some things are really going to start to change this month. Among them:
- Afternoon highs are 12 degrees cooler by the end of the month. 77 to 65 degrees
- Overnight lows drop 12 degrees from 54 degrees to 42 degrees.
- And the average precipitation is about 1.08 in we transition from the monsoon flow to low pressure systems.
- We lose 2 minutes of daylight each day and 1 hour and 3 minutes of Daylight by the end of the month.
- It’s also generally the end of outdoor growing season for veggie gardens and close to the end of the season for the end of potted plants and flowers.
- Our first outdoor freeze could come this month although the first light freeze is not until Nov. 4 with a hard freeze is Nov. 15.
A Little More On First Freeze Dates
The first freeze of the season is not far off. 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 temperature drops to 28 or 29 degrees for a few hours, most vegetation will be damaged. So what are the dates for each?
- First freeze of 32 degrees is: Nov 4 for ABQ. Santa Fe Oct 15, Los Lunas October 16
- First Hard Freeze of 28 degrees is: For ABQ, Nov 15, Santa Fe October 25, Los Lunas October 26
Check out other freeze dates from cities around the state here.