U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00361212 · Pennsylvania

Frost Dates for Canton, PA

NOAA weather station Canton (USC00361212), Pennsylvania · elevation 1140 ft (348 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 29only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season139 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Canton, PASpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 16 in half of the years, after May 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 18 in 1 year out of 10, before October 2 in half of the years, before October 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 139 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 16First frost ~Oct 2Frost season at Canton, PASpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 16 in half of the years, after May 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 18 in 1 year out of 10, before October 2 in half of the years, before October 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 139 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 16First frost ~Oct 2
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 29September 18
50% (typical)May 16October 2
90% (likely)April 27October 16
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
139 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 11 (5 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 7 (5 days later). Frost-free season 145 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 Canton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 29, 20% May 26, 30% May 22, 40% May 19, 50% May 16, 60% May 12, 70% May 7, 80% May 3, 90% April 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 14, 2022 May 10, 2023 May 27, 2024 April 27, 2025 April 28.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 29May 16Apr 272021: May 142022: May 102023: May 272024: April 272025: April 28Fall at Canton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 18, 20% September 23, 30% September 26, 40% September 30, 50% October 2, 60% October 4, 70% October 7, 80% October 11, 90% October 16. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 September 30, 2023 October 23, 2024 October 11, 2025 October 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 18Oct 2Oct 162021: November 22022: September 302023: October 232024: October 112025: 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 14November 2
2022May 10September 30
2023May 27October 23
2024April 27October 11
2025April 28October 10
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Canton for finishing the harvest is September 18, when there is only a 10 % chance a light frost has arrived earlier. The median 32 °F date for fall is October 2; at that point a light frost is equally likely to have occurred before or after.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 29, with just a 10 % chance of a later light frost, while the median spring date is May 16. The 50 % hard-frost dates are May 1 in spring and October 13 in fall, showing the point at which a hard freeze is as likely as not. A hard frost can damage vegetation more severely than a light frost, so those dates are important for protecting sensitive plants.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 29" 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 18" 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 Canton, PANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Towanda, PA — 22 mi; 2 — near Elkland, PA — 28 mi; 3 — Williamsport, PA — 28 mi; 4 — Elmira, NY — 31 mi; 5 — Lock Haven, PA — 47 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Towanda, PA — 22 mi12. near Elkland, PA — 28 mi23. Williamsport, PA — 28 mi34. Elmira, NY — 31 mi45. Lock Haven, PA — 47 mi5
  1. Towanda, PA 22 mi (35 km)
  2. near Elkland, PA 28 mi (46 km)
  3. Williamsport, PA 28 mi (46 km)
  4. Elmira, NY 31 mi (50 km)
  5. Lock Haven, PA 47 mi (76 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: 41.6517, -76.8464.