Elizabeth climate

Elizabeth Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Elizabeth 2NW, 3.6 km from Elizabeth, elevation 6611 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Elizabeth 2NW. 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 16 and the first fall freeze around October 2, a growing season of about 137 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 28, first September 24
Median at 32°F
last May 16, first October 2
Median at 28°F
last May 6, first October 10

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°FJun 11Jun 6Jun 2May 31May 28May 24May 22May 18May 14
32°FJun 1May 26May 22May 19May 16May 13May 11May 8May 4
28°FMay 19May 14May 11May 8May 6May 4May 1Apr 29Apr 26
24°FMay 11May 6May 3May 1Apr 29Apr 27Apr 23Apr 19Apr 14
20°FMay 3Apr 29Apr 24Apr 20Apr 16Apr 13Apr 9Apr 4Mar 31
16°FApr 24Apr 18Apr 12Apr 8Apr 4Apr 1Mar 28Mar 24Mar 17

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 11Sep 16Sep 19Sep 22Sep 24Sep 27Sep 29Oct 2Oct 5
32°FSep 18Sep 23Sep 27Sep 30Oct 2Oct 4Oct 7Oct 10Oct 16
28°FSep 26Oct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 10Oct 13Oct 16Oct 20Oct 23
24°FOct 4Oct 10Oct 14Oct 17Oct 20Oct 23Oct 26Oct 30Nov 3
20°FOct 13Oct 17Oct 21Oct 25Oct 29Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 13
16°FOct 19Oct 25Oct 30Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 13Nov 16Nov 22

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°F13613012612211911511110598
32°F156149145141137132128123115
28°F175168163159155152148143134
24°F193187182177173169164159151
20°F216209203198193188183177169
16°F239230223218214208203196187

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
6,531
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
425
Growing degree days, base 40°F
4,371
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,264
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,321
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,539
Growing degree days, base 60°F
904

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,06501
February96401
March829014
April632041
May3686168
June9476434
July13174626
August30124560
September15743353
October5032104
November803019
December1,07402

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 3.6 km from Elizabeth. 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 USC00052631 (Elizabeth 2NW). Public domain.