U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00259045 · Nebraska

Frost Dates for Wayne, NE

NOAA weather station Wayne (USC00259045), Nebraska · elevation 1465 ft (447 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 12only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season163 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Wayne, NESpring: a frost after April 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 29 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 27 in 1 year out of 10, before October 11 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 163 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 29First frost ~Oct 11Frost season at Wayne, NESpring: a frost after April 15 in 9 years out of 10, after April 29 in half of the years, after May 12 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 27 in 1 year out of 10, before October 11 in half of the years, before October 22 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 163 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 29First frost ~Oct 11
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 12September 27
50% (typical)April 29October 11
90% (likely)April 15October 22
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
163 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 19
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 21

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 30 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 11. Frost-free season 163 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 Wayne: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 12, 20% May 7, 30% May 4, 40% May 1, 50% April 29, 60% April 26, 70% April 23, 80% April 19, 90% April 15.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 12Apr 29Apr 15Fall at Wayne: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 27, 20% September 30, 30% October 4, 40% October 8, 50% October 11, 60% October 13, 70% October 15, 80% October 19, 90% October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 27Oct 11Oct 22
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.

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of April 15 in Wayne carries a 90% chance that a frost will still occur later, making it a gamble. The cautious alternative is May 12, when only a 10% chance of a later frost remains. The 50% date, April 29, marks the point at which a frost has an equal chance of occurring. For hard frost, the median date is April 19; a 28 °F hard frost can damage plants that would survive a 32 °F light frost.

In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is September 27, with only a 10% chance that a frost has already arrived. Waiting until October 22 raises the risk to a 90% chance that a frost occurred earlier, so that date is a gamble. The 50% median date is October 11, indicating equal odds of a frost occurring. A hard frost median of October 21 shows when a 28 °F event becomes as likely as not, underscoring the greater impact of hard frost compared with 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 12" 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 Wayne, NENumbered nearest stations: 1 — Wakefield, NE — 8 mi; 2 — near Norfolk, NE — 28 mi; 3 — Hartington, NE — 29 mi; 4 — West Point, NE — 31 mi; 5 — near Sioux City, IA — 34 mi.IASD25 mi · 40 km1. Wakefield, NE — 8 mi12. near Norfolk, NE — 28 mi23. Hartington, NE — 29 mi34. West Point, NE — 31 mi45. near Sioux City, IA — 34 mi5
  1. Wakefield, NE 8 mi (12 km)
  2. near Norfolk, NE 28 mi (45 km)
  3. Hartington, NE 29 mi (47 km)
  4. West Point, NE 31 mi (50 km)
  5. near Sioux City, IA 34 mi (55 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 42.2361, -97.0108.