U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00303346 · New York

Frost Dates for Gouverneur, NY

NOAA weather station Gouverneur 3 NW (USC00303346), New York · elevation 420 ft (128 m) · hardiness zone 4b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season134 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone4bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gouverneur, NYSpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 14 in half of the years, after May 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 12 in 1 year out of 10, before September 26 in half of the years, before October 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 134 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 14First frost ~Sep 26Frost season at Gouverneur, NYSpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 14 in half of the years, after May 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 12 in 1 year out of 10, before September 26 in half of the years, before October 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 134 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 14First frost ~Sep 26
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 30September 12
50% (typical)May 14September 26
90% (likely)April 30October 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
134 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 10 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 2 (6 days later). Frost-free season 140 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 Gouverneur: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 30, 20% May 24, 30% May 20, 40% May 17, 50% May 14, 60% May 11, 70% May 8, 80% May 4, 90% April 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 30, 2022 May 8, 2023 May 23, 2024 April 25.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 30May 14Apr 302021: May 302022: May 82023: May 232024: April 25Fall at Gouverneur: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 12, 20% September 16, 30% September 20, 40% September 24, 50% September 26, 60% September 30, 70% October 2, 80% October 6, 90% October 12. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 23, 2022 October 3, 2023 October 31, 2025 October 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Nov 1Sep 12Sep 26Oct 122021: October 232022: October 32023: October 312025: October 2
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 30October 23
2022May 8October 3
2023May 23October 31
2024April 25incomplete record
2025incomplete recordOctober 2
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 134 days between the 32 °F 50% dates—May 14 and September 26—encompass the span when tender crops can generally be grown in Gouverneur. The 50% dates mark the point of even odds for a light frost later in spring or earlier in fall, but they are not themselves frost dates.

For a cautious plan, the spring light-frost date of May 30 carries only a 10 % chance of frost later, making it the preferred day to set out tender crops, while the fall light-frost date of September 12 carries a 10 % chance of frost earlier, marking the prudent time to finish harvesting those crops.

A hard frost, recorded at 28 °F, is more consequential than a light frost at 32 °F because it can damage plants that would otherwise survive a milder chill.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 30" 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 12" 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 Gouverneur, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Canton, NY — 25 mi; 2 — Watertown, NY — 32 mi; 3 — Watertown (Airport), NY — 36 mi; 4 — Lowville, NY — 39 mi; 5 — Massena, NY — 52 mi.NY25 mi · 40 km1. Canton, NY — 25 mi12. Watertown, NY — 32 mi23. Watertown (Airport), NY — 36 mi34. Lowville, NY — 39 mi45. Massena, NY — 52 mi5
  1. Canton, NY 25 mi (40 km)
  2. Watertown, NY 32 mi (51 km)
  3. Watertown (Airport), NY 36 mi (57 km)
  4. Lowville, NY 39 mi (62 km)
  5. Massena, NY 52 mi (83 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 4b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 44.3539, -75.5122.