U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00250070 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Albion, NE

NOAA weather station Albion (USC00250070), Nebraska · elevation 1795 ft (547 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season157 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Albion, NESpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after May 1 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 22 in 1 year out of 10, before October 5 in half of the years, before October 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 157 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 1First frost ~Oct 5Frost season at Albion, NESpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after May 1 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 22 in 1 year out of 10, before October 5 in half of the years, before October 18 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 157 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 1First frost ~Oct 5
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 12September 22
50% (typical)May 1October 5
90% (likely)April 17October 18
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
157 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 16

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 30 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 9 (4 days later). Frost-free season 161 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 Albion: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 12, 20% May 8, 30% May 5, 40% May 3, 50% May 1, 60% April 29, 70% April 27, 80% April 22, 90% April 17. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 12, 2022 May 22, 2023 May 4, 2024 April 24, 2025 May 3, 2026 May 2.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 12May 1Apr 172021: May 122022: May 222023: May 42024: April 242025: May 32026: May 2Fall at Albion: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 22, 20% September 27, 30% September 30, 40% October 3, 50% October 5, 60% October 8, 70% October 10, 80% October 14, 90% October 18. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 17, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 7, 2025 October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 22Oct 5Oct 182021: October 172022: October 82023: October 72024: October 72025: October 22
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 12October 17
2022May 22October 8
2023May 4October 7
2024April 24October 7
2025May 3October 22
2026May 2season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 157 days between the 50% dates in Albion, Nebraska, run from the median light-frost date of May 1 in spring to the median light-frost date of October 5 in fall, marking the period in which tender crops are most likely to escape a light frost.

For a gardener, the 50% dates indicate the point at which the chance of a light frost is even; earlier than May 1 the likelihood of a frost exceeds 50%, and later than October 5 the likelihood of a frost before that date exceeds 50%. A cautious spring plan waits until May 12, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains, while a cautious fall plan finishes tender work by September 22, when there is only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier.

Hard-frost temperatures of 28 °F are more damaging than 32 °F light frosts because the lower threshold can kill plant tissue that survives a light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 12" 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 September 22" 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 Albion, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Elgin, NE — 21 mi; 2 — Oakdale, NE — 26 mi; 3 — Greeley, NE — 29 mi; 4 — near Norfolk, NE — 36 mi; 5 — Columbus, NE — 38 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Elgin, NE — 21 mi12. Oakdale, NE — 26 mi23. Greeley, NE — 29 mi34. near Norfolk, NE — 36 mi45. Columbus, NE — 38 mi5
  1. Elgin, NE 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Oakdale, NE 26 mi (42 km)
  3. Greeley, NE 29 mi (46 km)
  4. near Norfolk, NE 36 mi (58 km)
  5. Columbus, NE 38 mi (62 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 41.6853, -98.0083.