U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00326315 · North Dakota

Frost Dates for New England, ND

NOAA weather station New England (USC00326315), North Dakota · elevation 2600 ft (793 m) · hardiness zone 4a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 29only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1650% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 2450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season128 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone4acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at New England, NDSpring: a frost after May 6 in 9 years out of 10, after May 16 in half of the years, after May 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 10 in 1 year out of 10, before September 24 in half of the years, before October 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 128 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 16First frost ~Sep 24Frost season at New England, NDSpring: a frost after May 6 in 9 years out of 10, after May 16 in half of the years, after May 29 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 10 in 1 year out of 10, before September 24 in half of the years, before October 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 128 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 16First frost ~Sep 24
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 29September 10
50% (typical)May 16September 24
90% (likely)May 6October 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
128 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 2

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 16 (same as the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost September 25 (1 day later). Frost-free season 130 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 New England: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 29, 20% May 26, 30% May 22, 40% May 19, 50% May 16, 60% May 14, 70% May 12, 80% May 9, 90% May 6. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 May 22, 2023 May 18, 2024 May 4, 2025 May 22, 2026 May 7.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 29May 16May 62022: May 222023: May 182024: May 42025: May 222026: May 7Fall at New England: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 10, 20% September 15, 30% September 18, 40% September 21, 50% September 24, 60% September 26, 70% September 29, 80% October 2, 90% October 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 14, 2023 October 6, 2024 September 22, 2025 September 6.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Sep 10Sep 24Oct 52021: October 142023: October 62024: September 222025: September 6
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
2021incomplete recordOctober 14
2022May 22incomplete record
2023May 18October 6
2024May 4September 22
2025May 22September 6
2026May 7season not over yet

What these dates mean

September 10 is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops, as only a 10 % chance of a light frost exists before then. In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 29, when the chance of a later light frost is only 10 %; planting on May 6 carries a 90 % chance of a frost and is a gamble. For a gardener the 50 % dates represent the point at which a light frost is equally likely to have occurred or not. The 50 % date is May 16 in spring and September 24 in fall. The 50 % hard-frost dates are May 7 and October 2; a hard frost can be just as likely as not on those days. A hard frost at 28 °F can injure or kill plants that would survive a 32 °F light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 29" 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 10" 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 New England, NDNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Dickinson, ND — 18 mi; 2 — Bowman, ND — 34 mi; 3 — Richardton Abbey, ND — 35 mi; 4 — Medora, ND — 41 mi; 5 — Hebron, ND — 47 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. near Dickinson, ND — 18 mi12. Bowman, ND — 34 mi23. Richardton Abbey, ND — 35 mi34. Medora, ND — 41 mi45. Hebron, ND — 47 mi5
  1. near Dickinson, ND 18 mi (29 km)
  2. Bowman, ND 34 mi (55 km)
  3. Richardton Abbey, ND 35 mi (57 km)
  4. Medora, ND 41 mi (65 km)
  5. Hebron, ND 47 mi (75 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: 46.5406, -102.8692.