U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00196938 · Massachusetts

Frost Dates for Rochester, MA

NOAA weather station Rochester (USC00196938), Massachusetts · elevation 65 ft (20 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season180 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Rochester, MASpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 180 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Rochester, MASpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 23 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 6 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 4 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 180 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 21
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 7October 6
50% (typical)April 23October 21
90% (likely)April 10November 4
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
180 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 9
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 3

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 27 (6 days later). Frost-free season 187 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 Rochester: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 7, 20% May 3, 30% April 29, 40% April 26, 50% April 23, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 15, 90% April 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 21, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 27, 2025 April 18, 2026 April 25.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 7Apr 23Apr 102021: April 222022: April 212023: May 182024: April 272025: April 182026: April 25Fall at Rochester: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 6, 20% October 11, 30% October 14, 40% October 18, 50% October 21, 60% October 24, 70% October 26, 80% October 30, 90% November 4. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 6, 2022 November 15, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 29, 2025 October 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 6Oct 21Nov 42021: November 62022: November 152023: November 22024: October 292025: October 10
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 22November 6
2022April 21November 15
2023May 18November 2
2024April 27October 29
2025April 18October 10
2026April 25season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 10 carries a 90% chance that a light frost will arrive later, making it a gamble for gardeners in Rochester. The cautious spring date is May 7, when only a 10% chance of a later frost remains.

The 50% spring date is April 23; at that point there is an even chance of a light frost occurring later in the season. In fall the 50% date is October 21, giving an even chance of a light frost arriving earlier. For a low-risk plan the cautious fall date is October 6, when only a 10% chance of an earlier frost exists.

The 50% hard-frost dates are April 9 and November 3; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage tender crops more severely than a light frost because it reaches a lower temperature that many plants cannot tolerate.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 7" 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 6" 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 Rochester, MANumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Providence, RI — 27 mi; 2 — Hingham, MA — 31 mi; 3 — Blue Hill Coop, MA — 31 mi; 4 — Hyannis, MA — 33 mi; 5 — Edgartown, MA — 34 mi.MACT25 mi · 40 km1. near Providence, RI — 27 mi12. Hingham, MA — 31 mi23. Blue Hill Coop, MA — 31 mi34. Hyannis, MA — 33 mi45. Edgartown, MA — 34 mi5
  1. near Providence, RI 27 mi (43 km)
  2. Hingham, MA 31 mi (49 km)
  3. Blue Hill Coop, MA 31 mi (50 km)
  4. Hyannis, MA 33 mi (53 km)
  5. Edgartown, MA 34 mi (55 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: 41.785, -70.9175.