U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00284229 · New Jersey

Frost Dates for Indian Mills, NJ

NOAA weather station Indian Mills 2 W (USC00284229), New Jersey · elevation 100 ft (31 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 16only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season169 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Indian Mills, NJSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 28 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 169 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 28First frost ~Oct 15Frost season at Indian Mills, NJSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 28 in half of the years, after May 16 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 3 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 30 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 169 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 28First frost ~Oct 15
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 16October 3
50% (typical)April 28October 15
90% (likely)April 14October 30
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
169 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 27 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (5 days later). Frost-free season 176 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 Indian Mills: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 16, 20% May 9, 30% May 4, 40% May 1, 50% April 28, 60% April 25, 70% April 22, 80% April 19, 90% April 14. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 May 1.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 16Apr 28Apr 142021: April 232022: May 1Fall at Indian Mills: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 3, 20% October 6, 30% October 9, 40% October 13, 50% October 15, 60% October 18, 70% October 21, 80% October 25, 90% October 30. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 19, 2023 October 24, 2024 October 11, 2025 October 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 3Oct 15Oct 302021: November 32022: October 192023: October 242024: October 112025: October 10
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 23November 3
2022May 1October 19
2023incomplete recordOctober 24
2024incomplete recordOctober 11
2025incomplete recordOctober 10
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

May 16 is the cautious spring date for Indian Mills, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost will occur later; this allows a gardener to set out tender crops with minimal risk. The earlier spring date of April 14 carries a 90 % chance of frost and is considered a gamble.

April 28 marks the 50 % point for light frost in spring, meaning the odds of frost are even. In fall, October 3 is the cautious date, with just a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived, while October 15 is the 50 % point where frost odds balance. The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 15 for spring and October 27 for fall.

Hard frost at 28 °F matters more than light frost at 32 °F because the lower temperature can damage plant tissue that would survive a milder 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 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 October 3" 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 Indian Mills, NJNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Willingboro, NJ — 15 mi; 2 — Pennsauken, NJ — 17 mi; 3 — Phila Franklin Inst, PA — 24 mi; 4 — Philadelphia, PA — 24 mi; 5 — Atlantic City (Airport), NJ — 27 mi.PAMDDE25 mi · 40 km1. near Willingboro, NJ — 15 mi12. Pennsauken, NJ — 17 mi23. Phila Franklin Inst, PA — 24 mi34. Philadelphia, PA — 24 mi45. Atlantic City (Airport), NJ — 27 mi5
  1. near Willingboro, NJ 15 mi (24 km)
  2. Pennsauken, NJ 17 mi (28 km)
  3. Phila Franklin Inst, PA 24 mi (38 km)
  4. Philadelphia, PA 24 mi (39 km)
  5. Atlantic City (Airport), NJ 27 mi (43 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.7994, -74.7806.