U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00014777 · Pennsylvania

Frost Dates for Wilkes-Barre, PA

NOAA weather station Wilkes-Barre International Airport (USW00014777), Pennsylvania · elevation 930 ft (284 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season178 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wilkes-Barre, PASpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 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: 178 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Wilkes-Barre, PASpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 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: 178 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 23First 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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 10October 4
50% (typical)April 23October 20
90% (likely)April 9November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
178 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 22 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (3 days later). Frost-free season 184 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 Wilkes-Barre: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 4, 30% April 30, 40% April 27, 50% April 23, 60% April 20, 70% April 17, 80% April 14, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 30, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 14, 2026 May 12.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 23Apr 92021: April 222022: April 302023: May 182024: April 252025: April 142026: May 12Fall at Wilkes-Barre: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 9, 30% October 13, 40% October 16, 50% October 20, 60% October 22, 70% October 26, 80% October 31, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 18, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 17, 2025 October 27.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 20Nov 42021: November 32022: October 182023: November 12024: October 172025: October 27
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 22November 3
2022April 30October 18
2023May 18November 1
2024April 25October 17
2025April 14October 27
2026May 12season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 4 is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest in Wilkes-Barre, carrying only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. The median point for light frost is October 20, where the probability of a frost earlier is 50%, and November 4 marks the 90% chance that a frost will have occurred, making any tender crops harvested that late a gamble.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 10, with a 10% chance of a light frost later; the 50% date is April 23, and April 9 carries a 90% chance of frost later, representing a gamble. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 10 in spring and November 3 in fall; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F. The record spans 30 years and the interval between the two 32 °F 50% dates is 178 days.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 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 October 4" 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 Wilkes-Barre, PANumbered nearest stations: 1 — Hawley, PA — 31 mi; 2 — Pleasant Mount, PA — 32 mi; 3 — Towanda, PA — 47 mi; 4 — Allentown, PA — 49 mi; 5 — Port Jervis, NY — 54 mi.PANJNY25 mi · 40 km1. Hawley, PA — 31 mi12. Pleasant Mount, PA — 32 mi23. Towanda, PA — 47 mi34. Allentown, PA — 49 mi45. Port Jervis, NY — 54 mi5
  1. Hawley, PA 31 mi (49 km)
  2. Pleasant Mount, PA 32 mi (51 km)
  3. Towanda, PA 47 mi (76 km)
  4. Allentown, PA 49 mi (79 km)
  5. Port Jervis, NY 54 mi (87 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: 41.3336, -75.7269.