U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00303025 · New York

Frost Dates for Franklinville, NY

NOAA weather station Franklinville (USC00303025), New York · elevation 1590 ft (485 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season144 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Franklinville, NYSpring: a frost after April 28 in 9 years out of 10, after May 14 in half of the years, after May 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 23 in 1 year out of 10, before October 6 in half of the years, before October 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 14First frost ~Oct 6Frost season at Franklinville, NYSpring: a frost after April 28 in 9 years out of 10, after May 14 in half of the years, after May 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 23 in 1 year out of 10, before October 6 in half of the years, before October 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 14First frost ~Oct 6
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 30September 23
50% (typical)May 14October 6
90% (likely)April 28October 20
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
144 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 2
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 19

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 10 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 14 (8 days later). Frost-free season 149 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 Franklinville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 30, 20% May 26, 30% May 22, 40% May 18, 50% May 14, 60% May 10, 70% May 7, 80% May 3, 90% April 28. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 14, 2022 April 29, 2024 April 26, 2025 June 2, 2026 May 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 30May 14Apr 282021: May 142022: April 292024: April 262025: June 22026: May 13Fall at Franklinville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 23, 20% September 29, 30% October 1, 40% October 4, 50% October 6, 60% October 9, 70% October 12, 80% October 16, 90% October 20. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 19, 2022 October 5, 2023 October 31, 2025 October 9.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 23Oct 6Oct 202021: October 192022: October 52023: October 312025: October 9
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 14October 19
2022April 29October 5
2023incomplete recordOctober 31
2024April 26incomplete record
2025June 2October 9
2026May 13season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 30 is the cautious spring date for Franklinville, offering only a 10 % chance that a light frost will arrive later and giving a gardener a reliable point to set out tender crops. The 50 % date of May 14 marks the median point where a light frost is equally likely to occur later, while the 90 % chance date of April 28 is a gamble for early planting.

In fall the cautious date is September 23, with just a 10 % chance that a light frost has already begun, so finishing tender harvests by then keeps risk low. The median October 6 signals even odds of a frost arriving earlier, and the 90 % chance date of October 20 is a gamble for extending crops.

Hard frosts at 28 °F, represented by the 50 % dates May 2 and October 19, can injure plants that would survive a light frost at 32 °F, making them a greater threat.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 30" 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 23" 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 Franklinville, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Little Valley, NY — 19 mi; 2 — near Allegany, NY — 22 mi; 3 — Angelica, NY — 23 mi; 4 — Warsaw, NY — 28 mi; 5 — Wales, NY — 29 mi.PA25 mi · 40 km1. Little Valley, NY — 19 mi12. near Allegany, NY — 22 mi23. Angelica, NY — 23 mi34. Warsaw, NY — 28 mi45. Wales, NY — 29 mi5
  1. Little Valley, NY 19 mi (30 km)
  2. near Allegany, NY 22 mi (35 km)
  3. Angelica, NY 23 mi (36 km)
  4. Warsaw, NY 28 mi (44 km)
  5. Wales, NY 29 mi (47 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: 42.3294, -78.4636.