U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00304555 · New York

Frost Dates for Lake Placid, NY

NOAA weather station Lake Placid 2 S (USC00304555), New York · elevation 1888 ft (576 m) · hardiness zone 4a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter June 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 2250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season118 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone4acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Lake Placid, NYSpring: a frost after May 10 in 9 years out of 10, after May 27 in half of the years, after June 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 8 in 1 year out of 10, before September 22 in half of the years, before October 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 118 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 27First frost ~Sep 22Frost season at Lake Placid, NYSpring: a frost after May 10 in 9 years out of 10, after May 27 in half of the years, after June 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 8 in 1 year out of 10, before September 22 in half of the years, before October 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 118 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 27First frost ~Sep 22
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)June 7September 8
50% (typical)May 27September 22
90% (likely)May 10October 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
118 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 17 (10 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost September 29 (7 days later). Frost-free season 135 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 Lake Placid: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% June 7, 20% June 4, 30% June 1, 40% May 29, 50% May 27, 60% May 24, 70% May 20, 80% May 17, 90% May 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 13, 2022 May 10, 2023 May 26, 2024 April 27, 2025 May 2, 2026 May 22.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1Jun 7May 27May 102021: May 132022: May 102023: May 262024: April 272025: May 22026: May 22Fall at Lake Placid: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 8, 20% September 12, 30% September 16, 40% September 19, 50% September 22, 60% September 24, 70% September 27, 80% October 1, 90% October 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 23, 2022 October 3, 2023 October 23, 2025 October 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Sep 8Sep 22Oct 42021: October 232022: October 32023: October 232025: October 2
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 13October 23
2022May 10October 3
2023May 26October 23
2024April 27incomplete record
2025May 2October 2
2026May 22season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 118 days between the 50% dates in Lake Placid frame the window when a light frost is no more likely than not.

For a gardener the 50% dates—May 27 in spring and September 22 in fall—mark the median point of a 32 °F frost risk; each carries a 50 % chance of a frost occurring on either side. A cautious spring plan uses the June 7 date, which carries only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, while a cautious fall plan relies on the September 8 date, which carries only a 10 % chance of a light frost earlier. The early-season gamble dates are May 10 (90 % chance later) and October 4 (90 % chance earlier).

Hard-frost median dates are May 13 and October 3, and hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that would survive a 32 °F light frost, making those thresholds especially important.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after June 7" 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 8" 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 Lake Placid, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Peru, NY — 27 mi; 2 — Dannemora, NY — 31 mi; 3 — South Hero, VT — 40 mi; 4 — Malone, NY — 40 mi; 5 — Indian Lake 2 SW, NY — 41 mi.NYVTNH25 mi · 40 km1. Peru, NY — 27 mi12. Dannemora, NY — 31 mi23. South Hero, VT — 40 mi34. Malone, NY — 40 mi45. Indian Lake 2 SW, NY — 41 mi5
  1. Peru, NY 27 mi (44 km)
  2. Dannemora, NY 31 mi (51 km)
  3. South Hero, VT 40 mi (65 km)
  4. Malone, NY 40 mi (65 km)
  5. Indian Lake 2 SW, NY 41 mi (65 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 4a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 44.3042, -73.9839.