U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00367782 · Pennsylvania

Frost Dates for Salina, PA

NOAA weather station Salina 3 W (USC00367782), Pennsylvania · elevation 1109 ft (338 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 17only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season171 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Salina, PASpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 29 in half of the years, after May 17 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 29First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Salina, PASpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 29 in half of the years, after May 17 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 171 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 29First frost ~Oct 20
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 17October 5
50% (typical)April 29October 20
90% (likely)April 14November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
171 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 18
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 27 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 25 (5 days later). Frost-free season 179 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 Salina: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 17, 20% May 10, 30% May 5, 40% May 2, 50% April 29, 60% April 26, 70% April 22, 80% April 19, 90% April 14. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 27, 2022 April 30, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 23, 2025 April 18, 2026 May 4.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 17Apr 29Apr 142021: April 272022: April 302023: April 262024: April 232025: April 182026: May 4Fall at Salina: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 5, 20% October 10, 30% October 14, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 23, 70% October 27, 80% October 31, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 November 15, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 28, 2025 October 18.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 5Oct 20Nov 42021: November 32022: November 152023: October 312024: October 282025: October 18
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 27November 3
2022April 30November 15
2023April 26October 31
2024April 23October 28
2025April 18October 18
2026May 4season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 14 in Salina is a gamble; the record shows a 90% chance that a light frost will occur later than that date. Gardeners who prefer a lower risk wait until the cautious spring date of May 17, when only a 10% chance of a later frost remains.

The 50% date for light frost in spring is April 29, meaning there is a 50% chance of a frost later than this date, while the 50% date in fall is October 20, indicating a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date. A cautious plan for finishing tender crops uses the fall date October 5, which carries only a 10% chance that a frost has arrived earlier. The median hard-frost dates are April 18 in spring and November 1 in fall; hard frosts at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than the 32 °F light frosts.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 17" 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 5" 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 Salina, PANumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Ford City, PA — 14 mi; 2 — McKeesport, PA — 20 mi; 3 — Indiana, PA — 23 mi; 4 — Butler, PA — 30 mi; 5 — Pittsburgh, PA — 35 mi.OHWV25 mi · 40 km1. near Ford City, PA — 14 mi12. McKeesport, PA — 20 mi23. Indiana, PA — 23 mi34. Butler, PA — 30 mi45. Pittsburgh, PA — 35 mi5
  1. near Ford City, PA 14 mi (23 km)
  2. McKeesport, PA 20 mi (33 km)
  3. Indiana, PA 23 mi (37 km)
  4. Butler, PA 30 mi (48 km)
  5. Pittsburgh, PA 35 mi (57 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 40.51, -79.5458.