U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00286864 · New Jersey

Frost Dates for Pennsauken, NJ

NOAA weather station Pennsauken 1 N (USC00286864), New Jersey · elevation 46 ft (14 m) · hardiness zone 7b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 1only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 3150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season199 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Pennsauken, NJSpring: a frost after April 1 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 1 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 16 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 199 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 31Frost season at Pennsauken, NJSpring: a frost after April 1 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after May 1 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 16 in 1 year out of 10, before October 31 in half of the years, before November 12 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 199 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 31
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 1October 16
50% (typical)April 15October 31
90% (likely)April 1November 12
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
199 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 10

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 11 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (1 day later). Frost-free season 204 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 Pennsauken: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 1, 20% April 25, 30% April 20, 40% April 17, 50% April 15, 60% April 11, 70% April 8, 80% April 5, 90% April 1. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 April 18, 2023 April 11, 2024 March 25, 2025 April 9, 2026 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 1Apr 15Apr 12021: April 42022: April 182023: April 112024: March 252025: April 92026: April 21Fall at Pennsauken: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 16, 20% October 21, 30% October 25, 40% October 28, 50% October 31, 60% November 2, 70% November 5, 80% November 8, 90% November 12. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 4, 2022 November 15, 2023 November 2, 2024 November 10, 2025 November 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 16Oct 31Nov 122021: November 42022: November 152023: November 22024: November 102025: November 7
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 4November 4
2022April 18November 15
2023April 11November 2
2024March 25November 10
2025April 9November 7
2026April 21season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 1 is the cautious spring date in Pennsauken, allowing a gardener to plan setting out tender crops with only a 10% chance of a light frost later. By contrast, April 1 carries a 90% chance and would be a gamble for tender crops.

The 50% date is April 15 for spring and the 50% date is October 31 for fall, each marking the point where a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. October 16 is the cautious fall date, giving a gardener a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier and signalling when to finish harvesting tender crops. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 1 in spring and November 10 in fall; these are the median dates for a 28 °F frost.

A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that would survive a 32 °F light frost, making it a more critical threshold for tender crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 1" 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 16" 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 Pennsauken, NJNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Phila Franklin Inst, PA — 8 mi; 2 — near Willingboro, NJ — 11 mi; 3 — Philadelphia, PA — 13 mi; 4 — Indian Mills, NJ — 17 mi; 5 — Phoenixville, PA — 27 mi.NJMDDE25 mi · 40 km1. Phila Franklin Inst, PA — 8 mi12. near Willingboro, NJ — 11 mi23. Philadelphia, PA — 13 mi34. Indian Mills, NJ — 17 mi45. Phoenixville, PA — 27 mi5
  1. Phila Franklin Inst, PA 8 mi (13 km)
  2. near Willingboro, NJ 11 mi (18 km)
  3. Philadelphia, PA 13 mi (21 km)
  4. Indian Mills, NJ 17 mi (28 km)
  5. Phoenixville, PA 27 mi (44 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: 39.9661, -75.0219.