U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00283951 · New Jersey

Frost Dates for Hightstown, NJ

NOAA weather station Hightstown 2 W (USC00283951), New Jersey · elevation 100 ft (31 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season173 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hightstown, NJSpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 16 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 173 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 16Frost season at Hightstown, NJSpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 16 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 173 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 16
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 12October 4
50% (typical)April 25October 16
90% (likely)April 12October 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
173 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 21 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (4 days later). Frost-free season 180 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 Hightstown: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 12, 20% May 6, 30% May 2, 40% April 29, 50% April 25, 60% April 22, 70% April 19, 80% April 16, 90% April 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 May 1, 2023 April 11, 2024 April 26, 2025 April 10, 2026 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 12Apr 25Apr 122021: April 42022: May 12023: April 112024: April 262025: April 102026: April 21Fall at Hightstown: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 7, 30% October 10, 40% October 13, 50% October 16, 60% October 19, 70% October 22, 80% October 25, 90% October 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 19, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2025 October 27.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 16Oct 292021: November 32022: October 192023: November 22024: October 282025: October 27
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 4November 3
2022May 1October 19
2023April 11November 2
2024April 26October 28
2025April 10October 27
2026April 21season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 4 is the cautious fall date in Hightstown for finishing the harvest. With only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived before that day, it marks the low-risk point to pull in tender crops. The 50% date, October 16, indicates an even odds of a light frost occurring, while October 29 carries a 90% chance that a light frost has already begun, making later harvesting a gamble.

In spring, May 12 serves as the cautious date for setting out tender crops, because there is just a 10% chance of a light frost after that date. The median date, April 25, represents a 50% chance of a light frost occurring, and April 12 is a gamble with a 90% chance of frost later. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 10 in spring and October 28 in fall; a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 12" 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 4" 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 Hightstown, NJNumbered nearest stations: 1 — New Brunswick, NJ — 16 mi; 2 — near Willingboro, NJ — 22 mi; 3 — Flemington, NJ — 27 mi; 4 — Pennsauken, NJ — 32 mi; 5 — Indian Mills, NJ — 34 mi.PANYMDDE25 mi · 40 km1. New Brunswick, NJ — 16 mi12. near Willingboro, NJ — 22 mi23. Flemington, NJ — 27 mi34. Pennsauken, NJ — 32 mi45. Indian Mills, NJ — 34 mi5
  1. New Brunswick, NJ 16 mi (26 km)
  2. near Willingboro, NJ 22 mi (35 km)
  3. Flemington, NJ 27 mi (43 km)
  4. Pennsauken, NJ 32 mi (51 km)
  5. Indian Mills, NJ 34 mi (55 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: 40.2664, -74.5642.