U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00253355 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Gordon, NE

NOAA weather station Gordon 6 N (USC00253355), Nebraska · elevation 3748 ft (1142 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 26only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season142 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gordon, NESpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 11 in half of the years, after May 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 19 in 1 year out of 10, before October 2 in half of the years, before October 15 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 142 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 11First frost ~Oct 2Frost season at Gordon, NESpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 11 in half of the years, after May 26 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 19 in 1 year out of 10, before October 2 in half of the years, before October 15 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 142 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 11First 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 26September 19
50% (typical)May 11October 2
90% (likely)April 30October 15
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
142 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 11

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 12 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 4 (2 days later). Frost-free season 147 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 Gordon: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 26, 20% May 21, 30% May 17, 40% May 14, 50% May 11, 60% May 9, 70% May 6, 80% May 3, 90% April 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 12, 2022 May 22.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 26May 11Apr 302021: May 122022: May 22Fall at Gordon: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 19, 20% September 24, 30% September 27, 40% September 30, 50% October 2, 60% October 4, 70% October 7, 80% October 10, 90% October 15. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 October 7, 2023 October 6.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Sep 19Oct 2Oct 152022: October 72023: October 6
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 12incomplete record
2022May 22October 7
2023incomplete recordOctober 6
2024incomplete recordno data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 142 days between the 50% dates in Gordon and what fits into them mark the core growing window. The 50% light-frost date in spring is May 11, a 50% chance of a frost later than this date, and the 50% light-frost date in fall is October 2, a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date.

For a cautious plan, tender crops are set out after the spring cautious date of May 26 (10% chance of a later frost) and finished before the fall cautious date of September 19 (10% chance of an earlier frost). Hard frost at 28 °F, shown by the median dates May 2 and October 11, can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it is the more critical threshold.

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 19" 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 Gordon, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Chadron, NE — 44 mi; 2 — Oelrichs, SD — 56 mi; 3 — Interior, SD — 60 mi; 4 — Oral, SD — 64 mi; 5 — Hot Springs, SD — 74 mi.SDNEWY25 mi · 40 km1. Chadron, NE — 44 mi12. Oelrichs, SD — 56 mi23. Interior, SD — 60 mi34. Oral, SD — 64 mi45. Hot Springs, SD — 74 mi5
  1. Chadron, NE 44 mi (70 km)
  2. Oelrichs, SD 56 mi (90 km)
  3. Interior, SD 60 mi (97 km)
  4. Oral, SD 64 mi (103 km)
  5. Hot Springs, SD 74 mi (119 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 42.8967, -102.203.