U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00307484 · New York

Frost Dates for Saratoga Springs, NY

NOAA weather station Saratoga Springs 4 SW (USC00307484), New York · elevation 326 ft (99 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 17only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season158 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Saratoga Springs, NYSpring: a frost after April 21 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 17 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 27 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 158 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 7Frost season at Saratoga Springs, NYSpring: a frost after April 21 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 17 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 27 in 1 year out of 10, before October 7 in half of the years, before October 25 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 158 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 7
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 17September 27
50% (typical)May 2October 7
90% (likely)April 21October 25
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
158 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 20
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 30 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 16 (9 days later). Frost-free season 166 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 Saratoga Springs: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 17, 20% May 11, 30% May 8, 40% May 5, 50% May 2, 60% April 30, 70% April 27, 80% April 25, 90% April 21. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 30, 2023 May 18, 2024 April 27, 2025 April 21, 2026 April 23.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 17May 2Apr 212021: April 222022: April 302023: May 182024: April 272025: April 212026: April 23Fall at Saratoga Springs: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 27, 20% October 1, 30% October 3, 40% October 5, 50% October 7, 60% October 11, 70% October 14, 80% October 18, 90% October 25. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 24, 2022 October 11, 2023 October 24, 2024 October 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 27Oct 7Oct 252021: October 242022: October 112023: October 242024: October 17
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 22October 24
2022April 30October 11
2023May 18October 24
2024April 27October 17
2025April 21incomplete record
2026April 23season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 21 in Saratoga Springs carries a 90% chance of a frost, making it a gamble. A more cautious plan waits until May 17, when only a 10% chance remains.

In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is September 27, which holds a 10% chance of a frost earlier than that day. The 50% light-frost dates are May 2 and October 7; there is a 50% chance of a frost later than May 2 and a 50% chance of a frost earlier than October 7. The median hard-frost dates are April 20 in spring and October 21 in fall, and a hard frost at 28 °F can injure plants more severely than the milder 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 17" 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 27" 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 Saratoga Springs, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Albany, NY — 21 mi; 2 — near Troy, NY — 21 mi; 3 — Glens Falls, NY — 24 mi; 4 — near Ravena, NY — 40 mi; 5 — Cobleskill, NY — 41 mi.NYVTMANH25 mi · 40 km1. Albany, NY — 21 mi12. near Troy, NY — 21 mi23. Glens Falls, NY — 24 mi34. near Ravena, NY — 40 mi45. Cobleskill, NY — 41 mi5
  1. Albany, NY 21 mi (33 km)
  2. near Troy, NY 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Glens Falls, NY 24 mi (38 km)
  4. near Ravena, NY 40 mi (64 km)
  5. Cobleskill, NY 41 mi (66 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: 43.0411, -73.8211.