U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00056266 · Colorado

Frost Dates for Palisade, CO

NOAA weather station Palisade (USC00056266), Colorado · elevation 4751 ft (1448 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season190 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Palisade, COSpring: a frost after March 27 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 26Frost season at Palisade, COSpring: a frost after March 27 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 10 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 26
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 3October 12
50% (typical)April 17October 26
90% (likely)March 27November 10
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
190 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 1
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 5

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 24 (2 days earlier). Frost-free season 186 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 Palisade: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 3, 20% April 29, 30% April 24, 40% April 21, 50% April 17, 60% April 14, 70% April 10, 80% April 4, 90% March 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 21, 2022 May 4, 2023 April 22, 2024 May 8, 2025 April 6, 2026 April 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 17Mar 272021: April 212022: May 42023: April 222024: May 82025: April 62026: April 18Fall at Palisade: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 16, 30% October 19, 40% October 22, 50% October 26, 60% October 29, 70% November 1, 80% November 4, 90% November 10. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 24, 2023 October 29, 2024 October 31, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 26Nov 102021: October 162022: October 242023: October 292024: October 312025: 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 21October 16
2022May 4October 24
2023April 22October 29
2024May 8October 31
2025April 6October 30
2026April 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 12 is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Palisade. It carries a 10% chance that a light frost has already arrived, so planting beyond this point raises the risk. The 50% date in fall is October 26, which means there is an even odds of a light frost occurring earlier. By contrast, November 10 carries a 90% chance of a frost, making it a gamble for late tender crops.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 3, when the chance of a light frost later is only 10%. The 50% date in spring is April 17, indicating an even odds of a frost occurring later. Hard-frost dates are April 1 in spring and November 5 in fall; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it represents a more severe risk.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 3" 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 October 12" 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 Palisade, CONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Grand Junction, CO — 8 mi; 2 — Grand Junction (Walker Field), CO — 10 mi; 3 — Altenbern, CO — 27 mi; 4 — Paonia, CO — 43 mi; 5 — Meeker, CO — 68 mi.COUT25 mi · 40 km1. Grand Junction, CO — 8 mi12. Grand Junction (Walker Field), CO — 10 mi23. Altenbern, CO — 27 mi34. Paonia, CO — 43 mi45. Meeker, CO — 68 mi5
  1. Grand Junction, CO 8 mi (13 km)
  2. Grand Junction (Walker Field), CO 10 mi (16 km)
  3. Altenbern, CO 27 mi (43 km)
  4. Paonia, CO 43 mi (69 km)
  5. Meeker, CO 68 mi (109 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.1136, -108.3506.