U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00094725 · New York

Frost Dates for Massena, NY

NOAA weather station Massena International Airport (USW00094725), New York · elevation 214 ft (65 m) · hardiness zone 4b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season144 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone4bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Massena, NYSpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 8 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 8First frost ~Oct 1Frost season at Massena, NYSpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 8 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 17 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 17 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 144 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 8First frost ~Oct 1
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 23September 17
50% (typical)May 8October 1
90% (likely)April 27October 17
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
144 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 28
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 13

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 6 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 5 (4 days later). Frost-free season 150 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 Massena: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 23, 20% May 18, 30% May 14, 40% May 11, 50% May 8, 60% May 6, 70% May 3, 80% April 30, 90% April 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 30, 2022 May 9, 2023 May 23, 2024 April 27, 2025 May 1, 2026 May 12.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 23May 8Apr 272021: May 302022: May 92023: May 232024: April 272025: May 12026: May 12Fall at Massena: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 17, 20% September 23, 30% September 26, 40% September 29, 50% October 1, 60% October 3, 70% October 6, 80% October 10, 90% October 17. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 22, 2022 September 30, 2023 October 23, 2024 October 8, 2025 September 20.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Sep 17Oct 1Oct 172021: October 222022: September 302023: October 232024: October 82025: September 20
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 30October 22
2022May 9September 30
2023May 23October 23
2024April 27October 8
2025May 1September 20
2026May 12season not over yet

What these dates mean

Planting tender crops on the early spring date of April 27 in Massena carries a 90% chance that a light frost will occur later, making it a gamble. The cautious approach waits until May 23, when only a 10% chance remains for a frost after that date.

For a gardener, the 50% spring light-frost date of May 8 marks the point at which a frost is equally likely to happen later or not, and the 50% fall date of October 1 does the same for an early frost. The hard-frost median dates are April 28 in spring and October 13 in fall; a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants that would survive a light frost at 32 °F. In the fall, the cautious finish date is September 17, with only a 10% chance that frost has arrived earlier, while waiting until October 17 is a gamble because a 90% chance of frost exists before then.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 23" 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 17" 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 Massena, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Malone, NY — 27 mi; 2 — Canton, NY — 28 mi; 3 — Gouverneur, NY — 52 mi; 4 — Dannemora, NY — 57 mi; 5 — Lake Placid, NY — 61 mi.NY25 mi · 40 km1. Malone, NY — 27 mi12. Canton, NY — 28 mi23. Gouverneur, NY — 52 mi34. Dannemora, NY — 57 mi45. Lake Placid, NY — 61 mi5
  1. Malone, NY 27 mi (44 km)
  2. Canton, NY 28 mi (45 km)
  3. Gouverneur, NY 52 mi (83 km)
  4. Dannemora, NY 57 mi (92 km)
  5. Lake Placid, NY 61 mi (98 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 44.9358, -74.8458.