U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00307705 · New York

Frost Dates for Sherburne, NY

NOAA weather station Sherburne (USC00307705), New York · elevation 1095 ft (334 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 28only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 1350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season145 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Sherburne, NYSpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 13 in half of the years, after May 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 22 in 1 year out of 10, before October 4 in half of the years, before October 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 145 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 13First frost ~Oct 4Frost season at Sherburne, NYSpring: a frost after April 27 in 9 years out of 10, after May 13 in half of the years, after May 28 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 22 in 1 year out of 10, before October 4 in half of the years, before October 20 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 145 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 13First frost ~Oct 4
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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 28September 22
50% (typical)May 13October 4
90% (likely)April 27October 20
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
145 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 30
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 18

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 10 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 12 (8 days later). Frost-free season 152 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 Sherburne: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 28, 20% May 24, 30% May 19, 40% May 16, 50% May 13, 60% May 10, 70% May 6, 80% May 2, 90% April 27. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 14, 2022 May 13, 2023 May 27, 2024 April 27, 2025 April 29, 2026 May 13.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 28May 13Apr 272021: May 142022: May 132023: May 272024: April 272025: April 292026: May 13Fall at Sherburne: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 22, 20% September 27, 30% September 30, 40% October 2, 50% October 4, 60% October 7, 70% October 11, 80% October 16, 90% October 20. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 16, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 12, 2025 October 10.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 22Oct 4Oct 202021: November 32022: October 162023: October 312024: October 122025: 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
2021May 14November 3
2022May 13October 16
2023May 27October 31
2024April 27October 12
2025April 29October 10
2026May 13season not over yet

What these dates mean

September 22 is the cautious fall date in Sherburne for finishing the harvest, when there is only a 10% chance a light frost has arrived earlier.

The 50% spring date is May 13, when a light frost has a 50% chance of occurring, and the 50% fall date is October 4, when a light frost has a 50% chance of having occurred. For tender crops, a cautious plan uses May 28 in spring, where only a 10% chance of a light frost remains later, and September 22 in fall, where only a 10% chance of a light frost has happened earlier. The hard-frost median dates are April 30 in spring and October 18 in fall; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost, making it a greater concern. The record spans 27 years.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 28" 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 22" 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 Sherburne, NYNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Norwich, NY — 11 mi; 2 — Emmons, NY — 29 mi; 3 — Cooperstown, NY — 30 mi; 4 — Binghamton, NY — 41 mi; 5 — near Syracuse, NY — 43 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Norwich, NY — 11 mi12. Emmons, NY — 29 mi23. Cooperstown, NY — 30 mi34. Binghamton, NY — 41 mi45. near Syracuse, NY — 43 mi5
  1. Norwich, NY 11 mi (18 km)
  2. Emmons, NY 29 mi (47 km)
  3. Cooperstown, NY 30 mi (48 km)
  4. Binghamton, NY 41 mi (66 km)
  5. near Syracuse, NY 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: 42.6772, -75.5067.