U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093730 · New Jersey

Frost Dates for Atlantic City (Airport), NJ

NOAA weather station Atlantic City International Airport (USW00093730), New Jersey · elevation 60 ft (18 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season190 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Atlantic City (Airport), NJSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 29 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 29Frost season at Atlantic City (Airport), NJSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 13 in 1 year out of 10, before October 29 in half of the years, before November 11 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 29
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 5October 13
50% (typical)April 18October 29
90% (likely)April 2November 11
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
190 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 8

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 16 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (3 days later). Frost-free season 197 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 Atlantic City (Airport): chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% April 30, 30% April 24, 40% April 21, 50% April 18, 60% April 15, 70% April 11, 80% April 8, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 3, 2022 April 18, 2023 April 10, 2024 April 26, 2025 April 9, 2026 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 18Apr 22021: April 32022: April 182023: April 102024: April 262025: April 92026: April 21Fall at Atlantic City (Airport): chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 13, 20% October 18, 30% October 22, 40% October 26, 50% October 29, 60% November 1, 70% November 3, 80% November 6, 90% November 11. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 5, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 1, 2024 October 28, 2025 November 6.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 13Oct 29Nov 112021: November 52022: October 192023: November 12024: October 282025: November 6
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 3November 5
2022April 18October 19
2023April 10November 1
2024April 26October 28
2025April 9November 6
2026April 21season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 5 is the cautious spring date for Atlantic City (Airport), giving a gardener confidence to set out tender crops because only a 10 % chance of a light frost remains after that day. In the fall, October 13 serves as the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops, with just a 10 % chance that a light frost has already occurred.

The 50 % light-frost dates are April 18 in spring and October 29 in fall; at each of those points there is an even chance of a frost later (spring) or earlier (fall). The 50 % hard-frost dates are April 5 and November 8, indicating when a 28 °F event is as likely as not. A hard frost matters more than a light frost because 28 °F can damage plants that survive the milder 32 °F conditions.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 5" 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 13" 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 Atlantic City (Airport), NJNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Atlantic City, NJ — 9 mi; 2 — Estell Manor, NJ — 15 mi; 3 — Indian Mills, NJ — 27 mi; 4 — Millville, NJ — 27 mi; 5 — Seabrook Farms, NJ — 35 mi.NJPADEMD25 mi · 40 km1. Atlantic City, NJ — 9 mi12. Estell Manor, NJ — 15 mi23. Indian Mills, NJ — 27 mi34. Millville, NJ — 27 mi45. Seabrook Farms, NJ — 35 mi5
  1. Atlantic City, NJ 9 mi (15 km)
  2. Estell Manor, NJ 15 mi (24 km)
  3. Indian Mills, NJ 27 mi (43 km)
  4. Millville, NJ 27 mi (44 km)
  5. Seabrook Farms, NJ 35 mi (56 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: 39.4494, -74.5672.