U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00024121 · Nevada

Frost Dates for Elko, NV

NOAA weather station Elko Regional Airport (USW00024121), Nevada · elevation 5030 ft (1533 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter June 16only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 2950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season111 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Elko, NVSpring: a frost after May 10 in 9 years out of 10, after May 29 in half of the years, after June 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 3 in 1 year out of 10, before September 18 in half of the years, before October 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 111 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 29First frost ~Sep 18Frost season at Elko, NVSpring: a frost after May 10 in 9 years out of 10, after May 29 in half of the years, after June 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 3 in 1 year out of 10, before September 18 in half of the years, before October 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 111 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 29First frost ~Sep 18
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)June 16September 3
50% (typical)May 29September 18
90% (likely)May 10October 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
111 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 11
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
September 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 27 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost September 22 (4 days later). Frost-free season 118 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 Elko: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% June 16, 20% June 9, 30% June 5, 40% June 1, 50% May 29, 60% May 24, 70% May 20, 80% May 16, 90% May 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 12, 2022 June 15, 2023 May 9, 2024 June 18, 2025 June 22, 2026 May 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1Jun 16May 29May 102021: May 122022: June 152023: May 92024: June 182025: June 222026: May 20Fall at Elko: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 3, 20% September 8, 30% September 12, 40% September 15, 50% September 18, 60% September 21, 70% September 24, 80% September 28, 90% October 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 September 20, 2022 October 12, 2023 September 23, 2024 October 14, 2025 September 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Sep 3Sep 18Oct 12021: September 202022: October 122023: September 232024: October 142025: September 23
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 20
2022June 15October 12
2023May 9September 23
2024June 18October 14
2025June 22September 23
2026May 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

September 3 marks the cautious fall date for Elko, with only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier, so it is the point at which tender crops should be finished for harvest. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is June 16, when the chance of a light frost later than that day is 10 %; planting on May 10 carries a 90 % chance of frost and is a gamble.

The 50 % date is May 29; there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date. The 50 % date is September 18; there is a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date. Hard-frost medians occur on May 11 and September 29, and a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after June 16" 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 3" 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 Elko, NVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Beowawe, NV — 40 mi; 2 — Ruby Lake NWR, NV — 46 mi; 3 — Gibbs Ranch - Jarbidge 24 SE, NV — 59 mi; 4 — Battle Mountain, NV — 60 mi; 5 — Beowawe 49 S - University of N Ranch, NV — 77 mi.NV50 mi · 80 km1. Beowawe, NV — 40 mi12. Ruby Lake NWR, NV — 46 mi23. Gibbs Ranch - Jarbidge 24 SE, NV — 59 mi34. Battle Mountain, NV — 60 mi45. Beowawe 49 S - University of N Ranch, NV — 77 mi5
  1. Beowawe, NV 40 mi (64 km)
  2. Ruby Lake NWR, NV 46 mi (74 km)
  3. Gibbs Ranch - Jarbidge 24 SE, NV 59 mi (95 km)
  4. Battle Mountain, NV 60 mi (96 km)
  5. Beowawe 49 S - University of N Ranch, NV 77 mi (123 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: 40.8289, -115.7886.