U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00254455 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Kingsley Dam, NE

NOAA weather station Kingsley Dam (USC00254455), Nebraska · elevation 3318 ft (1011 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 6only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season176 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Kingsley Dam, NESpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 176 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Kingsley Dam, NESpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 6 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 2 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before October 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 176 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 18
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 6October 2
50% (typical)April 22October 18
90% (likely)April 8October 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
176 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 26

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 25 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 19 (1 day later). Frost-free season 176 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 Kingsley Dam: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 6, 20% May 1, 30% April 29, 40% April 25, 50% April 22, 60% April 19, 70% April 15, 80% April 12, 90% April 8. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25, 2022 May 3, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 19, 2026 April 28.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 6Apr 22Apr 82021: April 252022: May 32023: April 252024: April 222025: April 192026: April 28Fall at Kingsley Dam: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 2, 20% October 8, 30% October 12, 40% October 15, 50% October 18, 60% October 20, 70% October 22, 80% October 25, 90% October 28. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 21, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 16, 2024 November 2, 2025 October 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 2Oct 18Oct 282021: October 212022: October 182023: October 162024: November 22025: 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 25October 21
2022May 3October 18
2023April 25October 16
2024April 22November 2
2025April 19October 23
2026April 28season not over yet

What these dates mean

176 days separate the two 32 °F 50% dates at Kingsley Dam—April 22 in spring and October 18 in fall—marking the point at which a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. For reference, the 28 °F 50% dates are April 10 and October 26, indicating when a hard frost has an even chance.

Gardeners who prefer a low risk should wait until the cautious spring date of May 6, which carries only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, and aim to finish tender crops by the cautious fall date of October 2, which has only a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier.

A hard frost at 28 °F can injure plant tissue that would survive a light frost at 32 °F, making it a more damaging event.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 6" 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 2" 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 Kingsley Dam, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Ogallala, NE — 6 mi; 2 — Arthur, NE — 25 mi; 3 — Madrid, NE — 26 mi; 4 — Wallace, NE — 35 mi; 5 — Hershey, NE — 37 mi.NECO25 mi · 40 km1. Ogallala, NE — 6 mi12. Arthur, NE — 25 mi23. Madrid, NE — 26 mi34. Wallace, NE — 35 mi45. Hershey, NE — 37 mi5
  1. Ogallala, NE 6 mi (10 km)
  2. Arthur, NE 25 mi (40 km)
  3. Madrid, NE 26 mi (41 km)
  4. Wallace, NE 35 mi (56 km)
  5. Hershey, NE 37 mi (59 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: 41.2097, -101.6706.