U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00252037 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Crofton, NE

NOAA weather station Crofton (USC00252037), Nebraska · elevation 1400 ft (427 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 13only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 3050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season160 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Crofton, NESpring: a frost after April 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 8 in half of the years, before October 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 160 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 8Frost season at Crofton, NESpring: a frost after April 16 in 9 years out of 10, after April 30 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 8 in half of the years, before October 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 160 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 8
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 13September 26
50% (typical)April 30October 8
90% (likely)April 16October 21
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
160 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 18

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 2 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 9 (1 day later). Frost-free season 160 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 Crofton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 13, 20% May 9, 30% May 6, 40% May 3, 50% April 30, 60% April 28, 70% April 25, 80% April 21, 90% April 16. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 11, 2022 May 2, 2023 May 3, 2024 April 24, 2025 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 13Apr 30Apr 162021: May 112022: May 22023: May 32024: April 242025: April 21Fall at Crofton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 26, 20% September 30, 30% October 3, 40% October 5, 50% October 8, 60% October 11, 70% October 14, 80% October 17, 90% October 21. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 21, 2022 October 7, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 14.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 26Oct 8Oct 212021: October 212022: October 72023: 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 11October 21
2022May 2October 7
2023May 3October 7
2024April 24October 14
2025April 21incomplete record
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

The 160 days between the 32°F 50% dates in Crofton, Nebraska, frame the period when light frosts are less likely to interrupt garden work.

The spring 50% date is April 30, an even-odds point for a light frost, and the fall 50% date is October 8, an even-odds point for a light frost. For a cautious spring plan, May 13 carries only a 10% chance of a later frost and is used to set out tender crops, while the cautious fall date is September 26, with only a 10% chance that a frost has arrived earlier, signalling when to finish harvesting tender crops.

A hard frost at 28°F, with median dates April 20 and October 18, can damage plants that survive a 32°F light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 13" 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 26" 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 Crofton, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Yankton, SD — 12 mi; 2 — Hartington, NE — 15 mi; 3 — Tyndall, SD — 26 mi; 4 — Vermillion, SD — 29 mi; 5 — Menno, SD — 35 mi.NEIAMN25 mi · 40 km1. Yankton, SD — 12 mi12. Hartington, NE — 15 mi23. Tyndall, SD — 26 mi34. Vermillion, SD — 29 mi45. Menno, SD — 35 mi5
  1. Yankton, SD 12 mi (19 km)
  2. Hartington, NE 15 mi (23 km)
  3. Tyndall, SD 26 mi (42 km)
  4. Vermillion, SD 29 mi (47 km)
  5. Menno, SD 35 mi (56 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 42.7364, -97.4969.