U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00301752 · New York

Frost Dates for Cooperstown, NY

NOAA weather station Cooperstown (USC00301752), New York · elevation 1257 ft (383 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 26only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season154 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cooperstown, NYSpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 7 in half of the years, after May 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 154 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 7First frost ~Oct 7Frost season at Cooperstown, NYSpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 7 in half of the years, after May 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 154 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 7First frost ~Oct 7
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)May 26September 24
50% (typical)May 7October 7
90% (likely)April 22October 24
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
154 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 25
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 3 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 16 (9 days later). Frost-free season 163 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 Cooperstown: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 26, 20% May 20, 30% May 16, 40% May 12, 50% May 7, 60% May 3, 70% April 30, 80% April 27, 90% April 22. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 12, 2022 May 1, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 26, 2025 April 28, 2026 May 12.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 26May 7Apr 222021: May 122022: May 12023: May 182024: April 262025: April 282026: May 12Fall at Cooperstown: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 24, 20% September 29, 30% October 2, 40% October 4, 50% October 7, 60% October 10, 70% October 14, 80% October 18, 90% October 24. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 September 29, 2022 October 10, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 9.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 24Oct 7Oct 242021: September 292022: October 102023: October 312024: October 172025: October 9
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 12September 29
2022May 1October 10
2023May 18October 31
2024April 26October 17
2025April 28October 9
2026May 12season not over yet

What these dates mean

154 days separate the 50% light-frost dates of May 7 and October 7 in Cooperstown, marking the interval in which tender crops face only an even chance of a light frost from either direction. For a gardener, the May 7 date indicates a 50 % probability that a light frost could still occur later in the season, while the October 7 date indicates a 50 % probability that a light frost may have already arrived.

A cautious spring plan waits until the May 26 date, which carries only a 10 % chance of a later light frost, before setting out tender crops. In the fall, a careful finish targets September 24, when there is just a 10 % chance that a light frost has come earlier. Hard frosts at 28 °F are more damaging than 32 °F light frosts, so the median hard-frost dates of April 25 and October 21 are key markers for when severe freezing conditions become as likely as not.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 26" 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 24" 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 Cooperstown, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Emmons, NY — 18 mi; 2 — Cobleskill, NY — 25 mi; 3 — Sherburne, NY — 30 mi; 4 — Lansing Manor, NY — 30 mi; 5 — Norwich, NY — 33 mi.NY25 mi · 40 km1. Emmons, NY — 18 mi12. Cobleskill, NY — 25 mi23. Sherburne, NY — 30 mi34. Lansing Manor, NY — 30 mi45. Norwich, NY — 33 mi5
  1. Emmons, NY 18 mi (28 km)
  2. Cobleskill, NY 25 mi (40 km)
  3. Sherburne, NY 30 mi (48 km)
  4. Lansing Manor, NY 30 mi (48 km)
  5. Norwich, NY 33 mi (54 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: 42.7167, -74.9267.