Your nature year
Roswell, New Mexicothrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Roswell?
At some 3,617 feet up, Roswell is high enough that seasons run on a mountain clock. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Feb 15 and first bloom around Mar 21.
Spring takes about 5 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Roswell usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 13 and its first fall frost around Oct 30, a frost-free stretch of about 200 days at NOAA's Roswell Climat station, 0.9 miles away. For a day trip, Bitter Lake Refuge is 9 miles off; its winter wildlife is Oct 1–Dec 31 (local timing). For fall foliage, the nearest is Guadalupe Mountains (97 mi, usually Oct 25–Nov 7). Head northeast for the closest of the 4 places we follow around Roswell.
Updated Sep 27. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Roswell's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 13 to ~Oct 30
- First leaf ~Feb 15
- First bloom ~Mar 21
- Today
Near Roswell right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 30 · last spring frost around Apr 13NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Roswell Climat (0.9 mi, 50% dates)~5 weeks
- Winter wildlife · Bitter Lake Refuge · 9 miLocal timing: Oct 1–Dec 31~3 days
Roswell's nature year
- Feb: Spring green-upFeb
- Wildflowers · White SandsApr–May
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Winter wildlife · Bitter Lake RefugeOct–Dec
- Fall foliage · Guadalupe MountainsOct–Nov
- Oct: First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Guadalupe Mountains · 97 miusually Oct 25–Nov 7~4 weeks
Wildflowers
- White Sands · 104 miLocal timing: from around mid-April, with more flowers joining in mid-May~7 months
Winter wildlife
- Bitter Lake Refuge · 9 miLocal timing: Oct 1–Dec 31~3 days
- Bosque del Apache Refuge · 139 miLocal timing: Oct 20–Jan 31~3 weeks
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 13
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 30
About 200 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Feb 15
First bloom around Mar 21
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Roswell Climat (0.9 mi from Roswell), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Roswell?
On average around Oct 30, and the last spring frost around Apr 13: about 200 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Roswell Climat, 0.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Roswell?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 15 and first bloom around Mar 21, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Roswell?
Guadalupe Mountains, 97 miles (usually Oct 25–Nov 7). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Roswell?
White Sands, 104 miles (local timing: from around mid-April, with more flowers joining in mid-May). Distances are straight-line.
How we know
US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27)