U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00014735 · New York

Frost Dates for Albany, NY

NOAA weather station Albany Airport (USW00014735), New York · elevation 312 ft (95 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 11only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season169 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Albany, NYSpring: a frost after April 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 27 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 169 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 27First frost ~Oct 15Frost season at Albany, NYSpring: a frost after April 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 27 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 169 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 27First frost ~Oct 15
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 11October 3
50% (typical)April 27October 15
90% (likely)April 16November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
169 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 26 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 21 (6 days later). Frost-free season 176 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Albany: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 11, 20% May 6, 30% May 2, 40% April 30, 50% April 27, 60% April 25, 70% April 22, 80% April 19, 90% April 16. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 7, 2022 April 21, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 18, 2026 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 11Apr 27Apr 162021: May 72022: April 212023: May 182024: April 252025: April 182026: April 21Fall at Albany: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 3, 20% October 6, 30% October 9, 40% October 12, 50% October 15, 60% October 19, 70% October 22, 80% October 27, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 21, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 3Oct 15Nov 12021: November 22022: October 212023: October 312024: October 172025: October 10
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021May 7November 2
2022April 21October 21
2023May 18October 31
2024April 25October 17
2025April 18October 10
2026April 21season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 169 days between the 32 °F 50% dates in Albany—April 27 and October 15—enclose the period when a light frost is no more likely than not, giving gardeners a clear window for tender crops.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 11, which carries only a 10 % chance of a later frost; planting on the earlier 90 %-chance date of April 16 would be a gamble. In fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 3, with only a 10 % chance that frost has arrived, while waiting until the 90 %-chance date of November 1 raises the risk considerably.

Because a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that survive a light frost, the hard-frost 50% dates—April 16 in spring and October 28 in fall—are useful markers of when more severe freezing conditions become equally likely.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after May 11" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before October 3" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Albany, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Troy, NY — 6 mi; 2 — near Ravena, NY — 20 mi; 3 — Saratoga Springs, NY — 21 mi; 4 — Cobleskill, NY — 33 mi; 5 — near Cairo, NY — 39 mi.MAVTCTNH25 mi · 40 km1. near Troy, NY — 6 mi12. near Ravena, NY — 20 mi23. Saratoga Springs, NY — 21 mi34. Cobleskill, NY — 33 mi45. near Cairo, NY — 39 mi5
  1. near Troy, NY 6 mi (10 km)
  2. near Ravena, NY 20 mi (32 km)
  3. Saratoga Springs, NY 21 mi (33 km)
  4. Cobleskill, NY 33 mi (52 km)
  5. near Cairo, NY 39 mi (63 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 42.7431, -73.8092.