U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00256375 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Osceola, NE

NOAA weather station Osceola (USC00256375), Nebraska · elevation 1662 ft (507 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season170 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Osceola, NESpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 14 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 170 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 14Frost season at Osceola, NESpring: a frost after April 12 in 9 years out of 10, after April 25 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 14 in half of the years, before October 24 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 170 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 25First frost ~Oct 14
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 8September 29
50% (typical)April 25October 14
90% (likely)April 12October 24
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
170 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 16
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 26 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 18 (4 days 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 Osceola: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 8, 20% May 3, 30% April 30, 40% April 28, 50% April 25, 60% April 22, 70% April 20, 80% April 17, 90% April 12. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2022 April 27, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 20, 2026 April 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 8Apr 25Apr 122021: April 232022: April 272023: April 242024: April 222025: April 202026: April 20Fall at Osceola: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 29, 20% October 4, 30% October 7, 40% October 11, 50% October 14, 60% October 16, 70% October 19, 80% October 21, 90% October 24. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 2, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 27, 2024 November 14, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 29Oct 14Oct 242021: November 22022: October 82023: October 272024: November 142025: October 30
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 23November 2
2022April 27October 8
2023April 24October 27
2024April 22November 14
2025April 20October 30
2026April 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 8 is the cautious spring date, with only a 10 % chance of a light frost later; it gives a gardener a reliable point to start setting out tender crops in Osceola. By contrast, the April 12 date carries a 90 % chance of frost and is a gamble, while the median April 25 date simply marks the point at which frost is equally likely and is not a frost event.

The cautious fall date is September 29, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived, allowing a gardener to finish harvesting tender crops with minimal risk. The October 14 median date indicates an even chance of frost, and the October 24 date, with a 90 % chance of earlier frost, represents a gamble for late crops. Hard-frost temperatures of 28 °F are more damaging than light frosts at 32 °F because they can injure plants that 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 8" 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 29" 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 Osceola, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — David City, NE — 22 mi; 2 — Columbus, NE — 23 mi; 3 — Seward, NE — 31 mi; 4 — Albion, NE — 42 mi; 5 — Grand Island, NE — 43 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. David City, NE — 22 mi12. Columbus, NE — 23 mi23. Seward, NE — 31 mi34. Albion, NE — 42 mi45. Grand Island, NE — 43 mi5
  1. David City, NE 22 mi (36 km)
  2. Columbus, NE 23 mi (36 km)
  3. Seward, NE 31 mi (50 km)
  4. Albion, NE 42 mi (67 km)
  5. Grand Island, NE 43 mi (69 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: 41.1844, -97.5514.