U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00253735 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Hebron, NE

NOAA weather station Hebron (USC00253735), Nebraska · elevation 1480 ft (451 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season172 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hebron, NESpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 172 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 15Frost season at Hebron, NESpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 15 in half of the years, before October 26 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 172 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 15
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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 5September 29
50% (typical)April 24October 15
90% (likely)April 9October 26
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
172 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 23

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 25 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 16 (1 day later). Frost-free season 172 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 Hebron: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% May 2, 30% April 30, 40% April 27, 50% April 24, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 15, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 27, 2023 May 4, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 12, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 24Apr 92021: April 222022: April 272023: May 42024: April 222025: April 122026: May 3Fall at Hebron: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 29, 20% October 4, 30% October 8, 40% October 12, 50% October 15, 60% October 17, 70% October 19, 80% October 22, 90% October 26. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 27, 2024 October 14, 2025 October 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 29Oct 15Oct 262021: October 162022: October 82023: October 272024: October 142025: October 23
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 22October 16
2022April 27October 8
2023May 4October 27
2024April 22October 14
2025April 12October 23
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 5 is the cautious spring light-frost date in Hebron, carrying only a 10 % chance that a frost will occur later, so a gardener can plan to set out tender crops after that day with minimal risk. The 50% light-frost date is April 24, meaning an even chance of a frost later than this date, while the 50% hard-frost date is April 13, indicating an even chance of a hard frost later. In fall the cautious light-frost date is September 29, with only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, allowing the gardener to finish harvesting tender crops by then. The 50% light-frost date is October 15 (even odds of a frost earlier) and the 50% hard-frost date is October 23. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that survives a light frost at 32 °F, making it a more critical threshold for the gardener.

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 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 Hebron, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Fairbury, NE — 23 mi; 2 — Geneva, NE — 25 mi; 3 — Belleville, KS — 25 mi; 4 — Superior, NE — 28 mi; 5 — Clay Center, NE — 34 mi.KS25 mi · 40 km1. Fairbury, NE — 23 mi12. Geneva, NE — 25 mi23. Belleville, KS — 25 mi34. Superior, NE — 28 mi45. Clay Center, NE — 34 mi5
  1. Fairbury, NE 23 mi (38 km)
  2. Geneva, NE 25 mi (40 km)
  3. Belleville, KS 25 mi (40 km)
  4. Superior, NE 28 mi (44 km)
  5. Clay Center, NE 34 mi (55 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 40.175, -97.5903.