U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00267612 · Nevada

Frost Dates for Smith, NV

NOAA weather station Smith 6 N (USC00267612), Nevada · elevation 5000 ft (1524 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter June 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 2350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 2850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season127 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Smith, NVSpring: a frost after May 3 in 9 years out of 10, after May 23 in half of the years, after June 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 12 in 1 year out of 10, before September 28 in half of the years, before October 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 127 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 23First frost ~Sep 28Frost season at Smith, NVSpring: a frost after May 3 in 9 years out of 10, after May 23 in half of the years, after June 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 12 in 1 year out of 10, before September 28 in half of the years, before October 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 127 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 23First frost ~Sep 28
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)June 10September 12
50% (typical)May 23September 28
90% (likely)May 3October 11
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
127 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 7

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 25 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost September 29 (1 day later). Frost-free season 127 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 Smith: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% June 10, 20% June 5, 30% May 31, 40% May 28, 50% May 23, 60% May 18, 70% May 14, 80% May 9, 90% May 3. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 June 14, 2025 June 22, 2026 May 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1Jun 10May 23May 32022: June 142025: June 222026: May 19Fall at Smith: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 12, 20% September 17, 30% September 22, 40% September 25, 50% September 28, 60% October 1, 70% October 3, 80% October 6, 90% October 11. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 October 13, 2025 October 12.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Sep 12Sep 28Oct 112022: October 132025: October 12
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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022June 14October 13
2023no datano data
2024no datano data
2025June 22October 12
2026May 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

June 10 is the cautious spring date for light frost in Smith, giving a gardener only a 10 % chance of a frost occurring later, so tender crops can be set out with minimal risk.

The 50% date is May 23, indicating an even odds chance of a light frost later than this day, while September 28 is the 50% date for fall, marking an even odds chance of a light frost earlier than that day. September 12 is the cautious fall date, with only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, allowing the gardener to finish harvesting tender crops.

Hard frosts at 28 °F, represented by the 50% dates May 5 and October 7, are more damaging to plants 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 June 10" 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 12" 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 Smith, NVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Minden, NV — 23 mi; 2 — Virginia City, NV — 34 mi; 3 — Tahoe City, CA — 47 mi; 4 — near Reno, NV — 47 mi; 5 — Sparks, NV — 51 mi.NVCA25 mi · 40 km1. Minden, NV — 23 mi12. Virginia City, NV — 34 mi23. Tahoe City, CA — 47 mi34. near Reno, NV — 47 mi45. Sparks, NV — 51 mi5
  1. Minden, NV 23 mi (38 km)
  2. Virginia City, NV 34 mi (54 km)
  3. Tahoe City, CA 47 mi (75 km)
  4. near Reno, NV 47 mi (76 km)
  5. Sparks, NV 51 mi (82 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: 38.8822, -119.3511.