U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00303184 · New York

Frost Dates for Geneva, NY

NOAA weather station Geneva Research Farm (USC00303184), New York · elevation 718 ft (219 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season173 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Geneva, NYSpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 173 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Geneva, NYSpring: a frost after April 17 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 173 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 12October 4
50% (typical)April 30October 21
90% (likely)April 17November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
173 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 2

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 29 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (4 days later). Frost-free season 177 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 Geneva: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 12, 20% May 8, 30% May 5, 40% May 2, 50% April 30, 60% April 27, 70% April 24, 80% April 21, 90% April 17. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 1, 2022 May 1, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 27, 2025 April 17, 2026 April 22.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 12Apr 30Apr 172021: May 12022: May 12023: May 182024: April 272025: April 172026: April 22Fall at Geneva: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 9, 30% October 14, 40% October 18, 50% October 21, 60% October 24, 70% October 28, 80% November 1, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 October 28, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 25, 2025 October 27.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 21Nov 42021: November 42022: October 282023: November 12024: October 252025: October 27
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 1November 4
2022May 1October 28
2023May 18November 1
2024April 27October 25
2025April 17October 27
2026April 22season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, April 17, carries a 90% chance of a frost and is therefore a gamble for a gardener in Geneva.

The 50% dates—April 30 for spring and October 21 for fall—represent the median point at which a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not; they are not frost dates themselves. A cautious planting plan would wait until the later spring date, May 12, which has only a 10% chance of a frost later, and would aim to finish harvesting tender crops by the early fall date, October 4, which also carries a 10% chance of a frost earlier.

Hard frosts at 28 °F are more damaging than light frosts at 32 °F, so the median hard-frost dates of April 17 in spring and November 2 in fall are key markers of when the most severe freeze risk begins.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 12" 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 October 4" 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 Geneva, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Canandaigua, NY — 13 mi; 2 — near Union Springs, NY — 21 mi; 3 — Sodus, NY — 25 mi; 4 — Honeoye, NY — 25 mi; 5 — Hemlock, NY — 30 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Canandaigua, NY — 13 mi12. near Union Springs, NY — 21 mi23. Sodus, NY — 25 mi34. Honeoye, NY — 25 mi45. Hemlock, NY — 30 mi5
  1. Canandaigua, NY 13 mi (21 km)
  2. near Union Springs, NY 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Sodus, NY 25 mi (40 km)
  4. Honeoye, NY 25 mi (40 km)
  5. Hemlock, NY 30 mi (48 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 42.8767, -77.0308.