U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00309670 · New York

Frost Dates for Yorktown Heights, NY

NOAA weather station Yorktown Heights 1 W (USC00309670), New York · elevation 670 ft (204 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season174 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Yorktown Heights, NYSpring: a frost after April 13 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 174 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 19Frost season at Yorktown Heights, NYSpring: a frost after April 13 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 174 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 19
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)May 8October 4
50% (typical)April 25October 19
90% (likely)April 13November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
174 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 11 (14 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (13 days later). Frost-free season 203 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 Yorktown Heights: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 8, 20% May 4, 30% May 1, 40% April 28, 50% April 25, 60% April 22, 70% April 20, 80% April 17, 90% April 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 8Apr 25Apr 13Fall at Yorktown Heights: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 8, 30% October 12, 40% October 16, 50% October 19, 60% October 22, 70% October 25, 80% October 30, 90% November 3.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 19Nov 3
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.

What these dates mean

October 4 is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Yorktown Heights; only a 10 % chance exists that a light frost has arrived earlier than that day. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 8, when the probability of a light frost later in the season drops to 10 %.

The 50 % light-frost dates are April 25 in spring and October 19 in fall, each representing the point where the odds of a frost are even. For hard frost (28 °F) the median dates are April 13 and November 1; a hard frost can damage plants more severely than a light frost. Gardeners can use the 10 % dates to reduce risk, while the 90 % dates (April 13 and November 3) indicate a gamble. The record spans 26 years and the interval between the two 32 °F 50 % dates is 174 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 8" 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 Yorktown Heights, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Purchase, NY — 15 mi; 2 — New York (LaGuardia Airport), NY — 34 mi; 3 — New York (Central Park), NY — 35 mi; 4 — near Bridgeport, CT — 36 mi; 5 — near New Paltz, NY — 39 mi.NYCTNJPAMA25 mi · 40 km1. near Purchase, NY — 15 mi12. New York (LaGuardia Airport), NY — 34 mi23. New York (Central Park), NY — 35 mi34. near Bridgeport, CT — 36 mi45. near New Paltz, NY — 39 mi5
  1. near Purchase, NY 15 mi (23 km)
  2. New York (LaGuardia Airport), NY 34 mi (55 km)
  3. New York (Central Park), NY 35 mi (56 km)
  4. near Bridgeport, CT 36 mi (57 km)
  5. near New Paltz, NY 39 mi (63 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 41.2664, -73.7975.