U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00024020 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Hayes Center, NE

NOAA weather station Hayes Center 1 NW (USW00024020), Nebraska · elevation 3045 ft (928 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 16only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season159 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hayes Center, NESpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 3 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 27 in 1 year out of 10, before October 10 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 159 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 3First frost ~Oct 10Frost season at Hayes Center, NESpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 3 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 27 in 1 year out of 10, before October 10 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 159 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 3First frost ~Oct 10
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)May 16September 27
50% (typical)May 3October 10
90% (likely)April 20October 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
159 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 19

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 3 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 12 (2 days later). Frost-free season 160 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 Hayes Center: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 16, 20% May 12, 30% May 8, 40% May 5, 50% May 3, 60% May 1, 70% April 29, 80% April 25, 90% April 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 13, 2022 May 22, 2023 May 3, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 20, 2026 May 2.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 16May 3Apr 202021: May 132022: May 222023: May 32024: April 222025: April 202026: May 2Fall at Hayes Center: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 27, 20% October 1, 30% October 4, 40% October 7, 50% October 10, 60% October 12, 70% October 15, 80% October 18, 90% October 22. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 14, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 27Oct 10Oct 222021: October 142022: October 172023: October 72024: October 162025: October 19
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 13October 14
2022May 22October 17
2023May 3October 7
2024April 22October 16
2025April 20October 19
2026May 2season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 20 in Hayes Center is a gamble because there is a 90 % chance of a light frost occurring after that date. Gardeners who wait until the more cautious May 16 date face only a 10 % chance of a frost later in the season, providing a lower-risk window for planting. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is September 27, when only a 10 % chance of a frost has already arrived; waiting until the later October 22 date would be a gamble with a 90 % chance that frost has already come.

The 50 % light-frost dates, May 3 in spring and October 10 in fall, mark the point where the chance of a frost is even; they give a neutral reference for risk assessment. The 50 % hard-frost dates are April 22 and October 19, showing when a 28 °F frost is equally likely to have occurred or not.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light 32 °F frost, so it raises the risk level considerably.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 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 27" 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 Hayes Center, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Culbertson, NE — 23 mi; 2 — near Trenton, NE — 23 mi; 3 — Wallace, NE — 24 mi; 4 — Madrid, NE — 35 mi; 5 — near North Platte, NE — 40 mi.NECOKS25 mi · 40 km1. Culbertson, NE — 23 mi12. near Trenton, NE — 23 mi23. Wallace, NE — 24 mi34. Madrid, NE — 35 mi45. near North Platte, NE — 40 mi5
  1. Culbertson, NE 23 mi (37 km)
  2. near Trenton, NE 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Wallace, NE 24 mi (39 km)
  4. Madrid, NE 35 mi (56 km)
  5. near North Platte, NE 40 mi (64 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: 40.5233, -101.0344.