U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00260955 · Nevada

Frost Dates for Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW, NV

NOAA weather station Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW (USC00260955), Nevada · elevation 4678 ft (1426 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season162 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW, NVSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 12 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 162 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 12Frost season at Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW, NVSpring: a frost after April 14 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 12 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 162 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 12
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.Today

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 21September 29
50% (typical)April 30October 12
90% (likely)April 14October 24
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
162 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 17
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 28 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 11 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 164 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 Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 21, 20% May 13, 30% May 8, 40% May 4, 50% April 30, 60% April 27, 70% April 24, 80% April 20, 90% April 14.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Jun 1May 21Apr 30Apr 14Fall at Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 29, 20% October 2, 30% October 6, 40% October 8, 50% October 12, 60% October 14, 70% October 17, 80% October 20, 90% October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 29Oct 12Oct 24
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

The 162 days between the 50% dates in Blue Eagle Ranch – Currant 12 SSW mark the span when a light frost (32 °F) is less likely than not; the 50% date is April 30 in spring, giving a 50% chance of a frost later than this date, and October 12 in fall, with a 50% chance of a frost earlier than this date. Hard-frost (28 °F) median dates are April 17 and October 21, dates that signal when temperatures severe enough to damage many plants become as likely as not.

For a cautious plan, gardeners set out tender crops after the spring cautious date of May 21, which carries only a 10% chance of a later frost, and finish harvesting tender crops before the fall cautious date of September 29, which has only a 10% chance of an earlier frost. A hard frost matters more than a light frost because the colder 28 °F threshold can injure or kill plants that would 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 21" 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 29" 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 Blue Eagle Ranch - Currant 12 SSW, NVNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Ely, NV — 65 mi; 2 — Eureka, NV — 72 mi; 3 — McGill, NV — 74 mi; 4 — Caliente, NV — 84 mi; 5 — Smoky Valley - Carvers, NV — 90 mi.NVUT50 mi · 80 km1. near Ely, NV — 65 mi12. Eureka, NV — 72 mi23. McGill, NV — 74 mi34. Caliente, NV — 84 mi45. Smoky Valley - Carvers, NV — 90 mi5
  1. near Ely, NV 65 mi (105 km)
  2. Eureka, NV 72 mi (116 km)
  3. McGill, NV 74 mi (120 km)
  4. Caliente, NV 84 mi (135 km)
  5. Smoky Valley - Carvers, NV 90 mi (144 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: 38.5208, -115.5444.