U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00258465 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Tecumseh, NE

NOAA weather station Tecumseh 1 S (USC00258465), Nebraska · elevation 1110 ft (338 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 11only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season164 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Tecumseh, NESpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 25 in 1 year out of 10, before October 10 in half of the years, before October 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 164 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 10Frost season at Tecumseh, NESpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 26 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 25 in 1 year out of 10, before October 10 in half of the years, before October 23 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 164 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 26First frost ~Oct 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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 11September 25
50% (typical)April 26October 10
90% (likely)April 12October 23
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
164 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 20

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 28 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 12 (2 days later). Frost-free season 168 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 Tecumseh: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 11, 20% May 5, 30% May 1, 40% April 28, 50% April 26, 60% April 23, 70% April 19, 80% April 16, 90% April 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 5, 2022 May 22, 2023 May 3, 2024 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 11Apr 26Apr 122021: May 52022: May 222023: May 32024: April 21Fall at Tecumseh: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 25, 20% September 30, 30% October 3, 40% October 7, 50% October 10, 60% October 12, 70% October 15, 80% October 18, 90% October 23. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 17, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 14.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 25Oct 10Oct 232021: October 172022: October 82023: October 72024: October 14
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
2021May 5October 17
2022May 22October 8
2023May 3October 7
2024April 21October 14
2025incomplete recordno data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Tecumseh for finishing the harvest is September 25, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived. A 90 % chance of a frost earlier than October 23 makes that later date a gamble, while the 50 % date of October 10 marks the point at which a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not.

In spring, the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 11, carrying a 10 % chance of a frost later than that day. Planting on April 12 carries a 90 % chance of a later frost, and the 50 % date of April 26 represents the median odds of a frost. The hard-frost median dates are April 16 in spring and October 20 in fall; a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that would survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 11" 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 25" 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 Tecumseh, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Syracuse, NE — 22 mi; 2 — Auburn, NE — 24 mi; 3 — Nebraska City, NE — 29 mi; 4 — near Falls City, NE — 37 mi; 5 — Sidney, IA — 39 mi.NEMOKSIA25 mi · 40 km1. Syracuse, NE — 22 mi12. Auburn, NE — 24 mi23. Nebraska City, NE — 29 mi34. near Falls City, NE — 37 mi45. Sidney, IA — 39 mi5
  1. Syracuse, NE 22 mi (35 km)
  2. Auburn, NE 24 mi (38 km)
  3. Nebraska City, NE 29 mi (46 km)
  4. near Falls City, NE 37 mi (60 km)
  5. Sidney, IA 39 mi (63 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: 40.3544, -96.1939.