U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00253660 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Hastings, NE

NOAA weather station Hastings 4 N (USC00253660), Nebraska · elevation 1938 ft (591 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season171 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hastings, NESpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 14 in half of the years, before October 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 14Frost season at Hastings, NESpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 30 in 1 year out of 10, before October 14 in half of the years, before October 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 14
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 7September 30
50% (typical)April 25October 14
90% (likely)April 10October 26
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
171 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 14
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 23

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 28 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 16 (2 days later). Frost-free season 169 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 Hastings: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 7, 20% May 4, 30% May 1, 40% April 29, 50% April 25, 60% April 22, 70% April 19, 80% April 15, 90% April 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 25, 2023 May 2, 2024 April 21, 2025 April 19, 2026 May 2.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 7Apr 25Apr 102021: April 222022: April 252023: May 22024: April 212025: April 192026: May 2Fall at Hastings: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 30, 20% October 4, 30% October 8, 40% October 11, 50% October 14, 60% October 17, 70% October 19, 80% October 22, 90% October 26. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 16, 2023 October 16, 2024 October 14, 2025 October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 30Oct 14Oct 262021: October 162022: October 162023: October 162024: October 142025: October 22
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
2021April 22October 16
2022April 25October 16
2023May 2October 16
2024April 21October 14
2025April 19October 22
2026May 2season not over yet

What these dates mean

September 30 is the cautious fall date in Hastings for finishing the harvest; it carries only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived before that day, making it the point at which tender crops should be pulled in.

The 50% date is April 25, meaning a gardener faces an even chance of a light frost occurring later than this day. The 50% date is October 14, meaning an even chance of a light frost occurring earlier than this day. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 14 and October 23.

May 7 is the cautious spring date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later than that day, while a hard frost at 28 °F can injure or kill plants that would survive a 32 °F light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 7" 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 30" 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 Hastings, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Clay Center, NE — 19 mi; 2 — Grand Island, NE — 22 mi; 3 — Minden, NE — 31 mi; 4 — Kearney, NE — 33 mi; 5 — Red Cloud, NE — 39 mi.KS25 mi · 40 km1. Clay Center, NE — 19 mi12. Grand Island, NE — 22 mi23. Minden, NE — 31 mi34. Kearney, NE — 33 mi45. Red Cloud, NE — 39 mi5
  1. Clay Center, NE 19 mi (31 km)
  2. Grand Island, NE 22 mi (35 km)
  3. Minden, NE 31 mi (50 km)
  4. Kearney, NE 33 mi (54 km)
  5. Red Cloud, NE 39 mi (62 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 40.6472, -98.3836.