Frosts and Growing Seasons

■ Dates given are normal averages for a light freeze; local weather and topography may cause considerable variations. The possibility of frost occurring after the spring dates and before the fall dates is 50 percent. The classification of freeze temperatures is usually based on their effect on plants. Light freeze: 29° to 32°F—tender plants killed. Moderate freeze: 25° to 28°F—widely destructive effect on most vegetation. Severe freeze: 24°F and colder—heavy damage to most plants.

–courtesy of National Climatic Data Center

Growing Season

State City (days)

AK Juneau 133

AL Mobile 273

AR Pine Bluff 234

AZ Phoenix 309

AZ Tucson 274

CA Eureka 325

CA Sacramento 290

CA San Francisco

CO Denver 157

CT Hartford 167

DE Wilmington 198

FL Miami

FL Tampa 339

GA Athens 224

GA Savannah 250

IA Atlantic 141

IA Cedar Rapids 161

ID Boise 153

IL Chicago 187

IL Springfield 185

IN Indianapolis 180

IN SouthBend 169

KS Topeka 175

KY Lexington 190

LA Monroe 242

LA New Orleans 289

MA Worcester 172

MD Baltimore 231

ME Portland 143

MI Lansing 140

MI Marquette 159

MN Duluth 122

MN Willmar 152

MO Jefferson City 173

MS Columbus 215

MS Vicksburg 250

M T Fort Peck 146

MT Helena 122

NC Fayetteville 212

Last First Spring Fall Frost Frost

May 16 Sept. 26
Feb. 27 Nov. 26
Mar. 19 Nov. 8
Feb. 5 Dec. 15
Feb. 28 Nov. 29
Jan. 30 Dec. 15
Feb. 14 Dec. 1
**
May 3 Oct. 8
Apr. 25 Oct. 10
Apr. 13 Oct. 29
**
Jan. 28 Jan. 3
Mar. 28 Nov. 8
Mar. 10 Nov. 15
May 9 Sept. 28
Apr. 29 Oct. 7
May 8 Oct. 9
Apr. 22 Oct. 26
Apr. 17 Oct. 19
Apr. 22 Oct. 20
May 1 Oct. 18
Apr. 21 Oct. 14
Apr. 17 Oct. 25
Mar. 9 Nov. 7
Feb. 20 Dec. 5
Apr. 27 Oct. 17
Mar. 26 Nov. 13
May 10 Sept. 30
May 13 Sept. 30
May 12 Oct. 19
May 21 Sept. 21
May 4 Oct. 4
Apr. 26 Oct. 16
Mar. 27 Oct. 29
Mar. 13 Nov. 18
May 5 Sept. 28
May 18 Sept. 18
Apr. 2 Oct. 31

Growing Season

State City (days)

ND Bismarck 129

NE Blair 165

NE North Platte 136

NH Concord 121

NJ Newark 219

NM Carlsbad 223

NM Los Alamos 157

NV Las Vegas 259

NY Albany 144

NY Syracuse 170

OH Akron 168

OH Cincinnati 195

OK Lawton 217

OK Tulsa 218

OR Pendleton 188

OR Portland 217

PA Carlisle 182

PA Williamsport 168

RI Kingston 144

SC Charleston 253

SC Columbia 211

SD Rapid City 145

TN Memphis 228

TN Nashville 207

TX Amarillo 197

TX Denton 231

TX SanAntonio 265

UT Cedar City 134

U T Spanish Fork 156

VA Norfolk 239

VA Richmond 198

VT Burlington 142

WA Seattle 232

WA Spokane 153

WI Green Bay 143

WI Janesville 164

WV Parkersburg 175

WY Casper 123

*Frosts do not occur every year.

Last First Spring Fall Frost Frost

May 14 Sept. 20

Apr. 27 Oct. 10

May 11 Sept. 24

May 23 Sept. 22

Apr. 4 Nov. 10

Mar. 29 Nov. 7

May 8 Oct. 13

Mar. 7 Nov. 21

May 7 Sept. 29

Apr. 28 Oct. 16

May 3 Oct. 18

Apr. 14 Oct. 27

Apr. 1 Nov. 5

Mar. 30 Nov. 4

Apr. 15 Oct. 21

Apr. 3 Nov. 7

Apr. 20 Oct. 20

Apr. 29 Oct. 15

May 8 Sept. 30

Mar. 11 Nov. 20

Apr. 4 Nov. 2

May 7 Sept. 29

Mar. 23 Nov. 7

Apr. 5 Oct. 29

Apr. 14 Oct. 29

Mar. 25 Nov. 12

Mar. 3 Nov. 24

May 20 Oct. 2

May 8 Oct. 12

Mar. 23 Nov. 17

Apr. 10 Oct. 26

May 11 Oct. 1

Mar. 24 Nov. 11

May 4 Oct. 5

May 12 Oct. 2

Apr. 28 Oct. 10

Apr. 25 Oct. 18

References:

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