U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00254900 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Lodgepole, NE

NOAA weather station Lodgepole (USC00254900), Nebraska · elevation 3832 ft (1168 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season145 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Lodgepole, NESpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 19 in 1 year out of 10, before October 3 in half of the years, before October 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 145 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 3Frost season at Lodgepole, NESpring: a frost after April 30 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 19 in 1 year out of 10, before October 3 in half of the years, before October 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 145 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 3
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 21September 19
50% (typical)May 9October 3
90% (likely)April 30October 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
145 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 30
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 8 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 6 (3 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 Lodgepole: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 21, 20% May 16, 30% May 13, 40% May 11, 50% May 9, 60% May 7, 70% May 5, 80% May 2, 90% April 30. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 25.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 21May 9Apr 302021: April 25Fall at Lodgepole: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 19, 20% September 25, 30% September 28, 40% September 30, 50% October 3, 60% October 5, 70% October 8, 80% October 11, 90% October 14.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Sep 19Oct 3Oct 14
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 25incomplete record
2022no datano data
2023no datano data
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

May 21 is the cautious spring date for light frost (32 °F) in Lodgepole; with only a 10 % chance of a frost later than that day, a gardener can plan to set out tender crops after May 21 with relatively low risk.

The 50% date is May 9, which marks an even-odds point for a frost later in spring, and the 50% date is October 3, which marks an even-odds point for a frost earlier in fall. September 19 is the cautious fall date for light frost, carrying only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, so finishing tender crops by that day keeps risk low.

The hard-frost median dates are April 30 and October 13; each carries a 50 % chance of a hard frost later than the spring date and earlier than the fall date. A hard frost at 28 °F is more damaging than a light frost at 32 °F because it can injure plants that would survive the milder temperature.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 21" 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 19" 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 Lodgepole, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Sedgwick, CO — 21 mi; 2 — Oshkosh, NE — 23 mi; 3 — Bridgeport, NE — 43 mi; 4 — Holyoke, CO — 44 mi; 5 — Leroy, CO — 48 mi.COWY25 mi · 40 km1. Sedgwick, CO — 21 mi12. Oshkosh, NE — 23 mi23. Bridgeport, NE — 43 mi34. Holyoke, CO — 44 mi45. Leroy, CO — 48 mi5
  1. Sedgwick, CO 21 mi (33 km)
  2. Oshkosh, NE 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Bridgeport, NE 43 mi (70 km)
  4. Holyoke, CO 44 mi (72 km)
  5. Leroy, CO 48 mi (77 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 41.1489, -102.6361.