Akron climate

Akron Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Akron Washington CO AP, 0.7 km from Akron, elevation 4663 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Akron Washington CO AP. A median date has an even chance of a later freeze in spring, or an earlier one in fall.

The last spring freeze typically comes around May 6 and the first fall freeze around October 8, a growing season of about 155 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 15, first October 1
Median at 32°F
last May 6, first October 8
Median at 28°F
last April 27, first October 17

Last freeze in spring

The chance of a later freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one spring in ten still freezes after the date; planting after the 10 percent date for 32°F is the cautious choice.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FMay 29May 24May 21May 18May 15May 12May 10May 8May 5
32°FMay 19May 15May 11May 8May 6May 4May 2Apr 29Apr 24
28°FMay 9May 5May 2Apr 30Apr 27Apr 24Apr 21Apr 17Apr 11
24°FMay 1Apr 27Apr 22Apr 18Apr 15Apr 12Apr 7Apr 3Mar 30
20°FApr 20Apr 15Apr 10Apr 6Apr 3Mar 31Mar 27Mar 22Mar 15
16°FApr 11Apr 4Mar 31Mar 28Mar 23Mar 18Mar 13Mar 6Mar 1

First freeze in fall

The chance of an earlier freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one fall in ten freezes before the date.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FSep 18Sep 24Sep 27Sep 29Oct 1Oct 3Oct 5Oct 8Oct 11
32°FSep 27Oct 1Oct 3Oct 6Oct 8Oct 11Oct 14Oct 16Oct 20
28°FOct 4Oct 9Oct 11Oct 14Oct 17Oct 19Oct 21Oct 24Oct 28
24°FOct 11Oct 16Oct 19Oct 22Oct 25Oct 28Oct 31Nov 4Nov 8
20°FOct 18Oct 23Oct 27Nov 1Nov 3Nov 5Nov 9Nov 14Nov 19
16°FOct 24Oct 31Nov 3Nov 6Nov 10Nov 14Nov 18Nov 23Nov 27

Growing season length

Days between the last spring and first fall freeze at each threshold, with the chance of a season at least that long.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°F153148143140136132129124118
32°F171166162158155151147143136
28°F191185181177173169165160153
24°F213206201197192188184180171
20°F237228222217212208203197189
16°F259249243237232227221215206

How often it gets that cold

The share of years with at least one night at or below each temperature.

36°F or colder
100% of years
32°F or colder
100% of years
28°F or colder
100% of years
24°F or colder
100% of years
20°F or colder
100% of years
16°F or colder
100% of years

Degree days

A degree day is one degree of the daily mean temperature beyond a base, for one day. Heating degree days count cold (the fuel a house burns), cooling degree days heat, growing degree days the warmth a crop needs; each crop has its own base.

Heating degree days, base 65°F
6,189
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
817
Growing degree days, base 40°F
5,105
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,950
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,954
Growing degree days, base 55°F
2,104
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,393

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,11101
February94503
March761027
April535276
May27526256
June52147546
July6300759
August12245697
September12194434
October4645134
November800022
December1,10701

What this means

NOAA computes these from the daily lows at the station over 1991-2020, fitting the dates of each year's last and first freeze to a distribution, so a date can be stated at any level of risk. 36°F is a frost risk for tender plants on a clear, calm night, since the ground cools below the air above it; 32°F is a freeze; 28°F is a hard freeze that kills most annuals.

The station is 0.7 km from Akron. Low ground, valleys and open fields freeze earlier and later than a town center or a hillside.

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Sources

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020, annual and seasonal normals for station USW00024015 (Akron Washington CO AP). Public domain.