U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00255362 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Mead, NE

NOAA weather station Mead 6 S (USC00255362), Nebraska · elevation 1155 ft (352 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • 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 1350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season170 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Mead, NESpring: a frost after April 9 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 28 in 1 year out of 10, before October 13 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 170 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 13Frost season at Mead, NESpring: a frost after April 9 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 28 in 1 year out of 10, before October 13 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 170 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 13
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 7September 28
50% (typical)April 25October 13
90% (likely)April 9October 24
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
170 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 22

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 24 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 16 (3 days later). Frost-free season 173 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 Mead: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 7, 20% May 3, 30% April 30, 40% April 27, 50% April 25, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 14, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 27, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 9, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 7Apr 25Apr 92021: April 232022: April 272023: April 242024: April 222025: April 92026: May 3Fall at Mead: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 28, 20% October 2, 30% October 6, 40% October 10, 50% October 13, 60% October 16, 70% October 18, 80% October 21, 90% October 24. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 22, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 28, 2024 October 15, 2025 October 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 28Oct 13Oct 242021: October 222022: October 82023: October 282024: October 152025: October 23
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 23October 22
2022April 27October 8
2023April 24October 28
2024April 22October 15
2025April 9October 23
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of April 9 is a gamble, because a frost later than that day occurs with a 90 % chance. Gardeners who prefer a lower risk wait until the cautious date of May 7, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains.

The 50 % date is April 25 in spring and October 13 in fall; at each of these points the odds of a light frost are even, giving a clear statistical midpoint for the season. The cautious fall date is September 28, with just a 10 % chance that a frost has already arrived, while waiting until October 24 would be a gamble because a frost earlier than that date is 90 % likely.

A hard frost at 28 °F can injure or kill tender plants more readily than a light frost at 32 °F, so the hard-frost 50 % dates of April 13 and October 22 are useful reference points for the greater risk they represent.

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 28" 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 Mead, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Ashland, NE — 9 mi; 2 — Fremont, NE — 20 mi; 3 — Lincoln, NE — 25 mi; 4 — near Omaha, NE — 32 mi; 5 — David City, NE — 35 mi.NEIA25 mi · 40 km1. near Ashland, NE — 9 mi12. Fremont, NE — 20 mi23. Lincoln, NE — 25 mi34. near Omaha, NE — 32 mi45. David City, NE — 35 mi5
  1. near Ashland, NE 9 mi (14 km)
  2. Fremont, NE 20 mi (32 km)
  3. Lincoln, NE 25 mi (39 km)
  4. near Omaha, NE 32 mi (52 km)
  5. David City, NE 35 mi (56 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 41.1431, -96.4808.