U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013724 · New Jersey

Frost Dates for Atlantic City, NJ

NOAA weather station Atlantic City (USW00013724), New Jersey · elevation 10 ft (3 m) · hardiness zone 8a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 6only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMarch 2650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season240 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone8acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Atlantic City, NJSpring: a frost after March 10 in 9 years out of 10, after March 26 in half of the years, after April 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 6 in 1 year out of 10, before November 21 in half of the years, before December 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 240 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Mar 26First frost ~Nov 21Frost season at Atlantic City, NJSpring: a frost after March 10 in 9 years out of 10, after March 26 in half of the years, after April 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before November 6 in 1 year out of 10, before November 21 in half of the years, before December 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 240 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Mar 26First frost ~Nov 21
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 6November 6
50% (typical)March 26November 21
90% (likely)March 10December 7
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
240 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
December 2

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost March 25 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 21. Frost-free season 242 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 Atlantic City: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 6, 20% April 3, 30% March 31, 40% March 28, 50% March 26, 60% March 22, 70% March 19, 80% March 15, 90% March 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 30, 2023 March 20, 2024 March 24, 2025 March 9, 2026 April 8.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Mar 1Apr 1Apr 6Mar 26Mar 102021: April 32022: March 302023: March 202024: March 242025: March 92026: April 8Fall at Atlantic City: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% November 6, 20% November 11, 30% November 14, 40% November 17, 50% November 21, 60% November 24, 70% November 29, 80% December 2, 90% December 7. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 24, 2022 November 20, 2023 November 25, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 29.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Nov 6Nov 21Dec 72021: November 242022: November 202023: November 252024: November 302025: November 29
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
2021April 3November 24
2022March 30November 20
2023March 20November 25
2024March 24November 30
2025March 9November 29
2026April 8season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 240 days between the 32°F 50% dates of March 26 and November 21 in Atlantic City define the period in which most tender crops can be grown. For a gardener the March 26 median marks a 50 % chance of a light frost occurring later, while the November 21 median marks a 50 % chance of a light frost occurring earlier.

The cautious spring date is April 6, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains, and the cautious fall date is November 6, when only a 10 % chance of an earlier frost remains; the March 10 (90 % chance) and December 7 (90 % chance) dates represent higher-risk scenarios.

Hard-frost dates of March 15 and December 2 are noted because a temperature of 28 °F can damage plants that survive a 32 °F 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 April 6" 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 November 6" 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 Atlantic City, NJNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Atlantic City (Airport), NJ — 9 mi; 2 — Estell Manor, NJ — 22 mi; 3 — Millville, NJ — 34 mi; 4 — Indian Mills, NJ — 35 mi; 5 — Cape May, NJ — 40 mi.MDPADE25 mi · 40 km1. Atlantic City (Airport), NJ — 9 mi12. Estell Manor, NJ — 22 mi23. Millville, NJ — 34 mi34. Indian Mills, NJ — 35 mi45. Cape May, NJ — 40 mi5
  1. Atlantic City (Airport), NJ 9 mi (15 km)
  2. Estell Manor, NJ 22 mi (35 km)
  3. Millville, NJ 34 mi (55 km)
  4. Indian Mills, NJ 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Cape May, NJ 40 mi (65 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 8a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.3792, -74.4242.