U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00261358 · Nevada

Frost Dates for Caliente, NV

NOAA weather station Caliente (USC00261358), Nevada · elevation 4379 ft (1335 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season156 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Caliente, NVSpring: a frost after April 19 in 9 years out of 10, after May 3 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 9 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 156 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 3First frost ~Oct 9Frost season at Caliente, NVSpring: a frost after April 19 in 9 years out of 10, after May 3 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 9 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 156 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 3First frost ~Oct 9
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 23September 26
50% (typical)May 3October 9
90% (likely)April 19October 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
156 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 20

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 3 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 7 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 156 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 Caliente: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 23, 20% May 15, 30% May 11, 40% May 7, 50% May 3, 60% April 30, 70% April 28, 80% April 24, 90% April 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 23May 3Apr 19Fall at Caliente: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 26, 20% October 1, 30% October 4, 40% October 6, 50% October 9, 60% October 12, 70% October 15, 80% October 19, 90% October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 26Oct 9Oct 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.

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 19 in Caliente carries a 90 % chance of a frost later that season, making it a high-risk move.

The cautious plan for spring relies on May 23, the date with only a 10 % chance of a later frost; in fall the cautious date is September 26, when there is only a 10 % chance a frost has already arrived. The 50 % dates—May 3 in spring and October 9 in fall—represent the median point where a light frost is equally likely to occur before or after, giving gardeners a reference for even odds.

A hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can freeze plant tissue that survives the milder temperature; the 50 % hard-frost dates are April 20 in spring and October 20 in fall.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 23" 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 26" 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 Caliente, NVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — New Harmony, UT — 69 mi; 2 — Overton, NV — 73 mi; 3 — Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW, NV — 84 mi; 4 — Zion National Park, UT — 89 mi; 5 — Desert NWR, NV — 93 mi.NVUTAZ50 mi · 80 km1. New Harmony, UT — 69 mi12. Overton, NV — 73 mi23. Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW, NV — 84 mi34. Zion National Park, UT — 89 mi45. Desert NWR, NV — 93 mi5
  1. New Harmony, UT 69 mi (110 km)
  2. Overton, NV 73 mi (118 km)
  3. Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW, NV 84 mi (135 km)
  4. Zion National Park, UT 89 mi (144 km)
  5. Desert NWR, NV 93 mi (150 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 37.6128, -114.5264.