U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00014734 · New Jersey

Frost Dates for Newark, NJ

NOAA weather station Newark International Airport (USW00014734), New Jersey · elevation 7 ft (2 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season222 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Newark, NJSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 2 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 2First frost ~Nov 10Frost season at Newark, NJSpring: a frost after March 20 in 9 years out of 10, after April 2 in half of the years, after April 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 28 in 1 year out of 10, before November 10 in half of the years, before November 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 222 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 2First frost ~Nov 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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)April 15October 28
50% (typical)April 2November 10
90% (likely)March 20November 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
222 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 23
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 22

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 1 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 10. Frost-free season 223 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 Newark: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 15, 20% April 9, 30% April 6, 40% April 3, 50% April 2, 60% March 31, 70% March 29, 80% March 25, 90% March 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 March 30, 2023 March 30, 2024 March 24, 2025 April 9, 2026 April 8.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1Apr 15Apr 2Mar 202021: April 32022: March 302023: March 302024: March 242025: April 92026: April 8Fall at Newark: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 28, 20% November 1, 30% November 4, 40% November 7, 50% November 10, 60% November 13, 70% November 16, 80% November 20, 90% November 25. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 24, 2022 November 18, 2023 November 13, 2024 November 30, 2025 November 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Dec 1Oct 28Nov 10Nov 252021: November 242022: November 182023: November 132024: November 302025: November 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 3November 24
2022March 30November 18
2023March 30November 13
2024March 24November 30
2025April 9November 23
2026April 8season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 222 days between the 50% dates in Newark mark the interval in which light frosts are equally likely. The 50% date is April 2, meaning there is a 50% chance of a frost later than this date in spring. The 50% date is November 10, meaning there is a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date in fall.

For a cautious spring plan the tender-crop window begins after the April 15 date, which carries only a 10% chance of a later frost. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 28, when there is only a 10% chance that a frost has arrived earlier.

Hard frost at 28 °F, with median dates of March 23 in spring and November 22 in fall, matters more than a light 32 °F frost because it can damage plant tissue that survives the milder temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 15" 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 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 Newark, NJNumbered nearest stations: 1 — New York (Central Park), NY — 12 mi; 2 — New York (LaGuardia Airport), NY — 17 mi; 3 — New Brunswick, NJ — 20 mi; 4 — New York (JFK Airport), NY — 22 mi; 5 — Hightstown, NJ — 35 mi.PANYCT25 mi · 40 km1. New York (Central Park), NY — 12 mi12. New York (LaGuardia Airport), NY — 17 mi23. New Brunswick, NJ — 20 mi34. New York (JFK Airport), NY — 22 mi45. Hightstown, NJ — 35 mi5
  1. New York (Central Park), NY 12 mi (20 km)
  2. New York (LaGuardia Airport), NY 17 mi (27 km)
  3. New Brunswick, NJ 20 mi (32 km)
  4. New York (JFK Airport), NY 22 mi (35 km)
  5. Hightstown, NJ 35 mi (57 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 40.6825, -74.1694.