Sedgwick County climate

Sedgwick County Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Sedgwick 5 S, 13.8 km from Sedgwick County, elevation 3996 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Sedgwick 5 S. 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 7, a growing season of about 152 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 15, first September 29
Median at 32°F
last May 6, first October 7
Median at 28°F
last April 27, first October 16

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 27May 23May 20May 17May 15May 14May 11May 9May 6
32°FMay 18May 14May 11May 8May 6May 4May 2Apr 29Apr 24
28°FMay 9May 5May 2Apr 30Apr 27Apr 23Apr 20Apr 17Apr 12
24°FMay 1Apr 27Apr 23Apr 19Apr 16Apr 13Apr 9Apr 5Mar 31
20°FApr 22Apr 17Apr 12Apr 8Apr 5Apr 2Mar 30Mar 26Mar 19
16°FApr 15Apr 8Apr 4Apr 1Mar 28Mar 23Mar 18Mar 12Mar 6

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 16Sep 21Sep 25Sep 27Sep 29Oct 1Oct 3Oct 6Oct 10
32°FSep 24Sep 29Oct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 10Oct 12Oct 15Oct 19
28°FOct 3Oct 7Oct 11Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 21Oct 25Oct 29
24°FOct 10Oct 14Oct 18Oct 22Oct 24Oct 27Oct 30Nov 2Nov 7
20°FOct 16Oct 21Oct 26Oct 28Oct 31Nov 3Nov 6Nov 10Nov 15
16°FOct 23Oct 28Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11Nov 14Nov 18Nov 23

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°F151145141138135133129124119
32°F169163159155152148144140135
28°F190184179175171168164159153
24°F210202198194190186182176169
20°F228220214210205201197191185
16°F252241235230225220214208200

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
6,399
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
825
Growing degree days, base 40°F
5,058
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,924
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,944
Growing degree days, base 55°F
2,106
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,400

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,16700
February98602
March797021
April545171
May27424256
June45150556
July4314775
August12246699
September11586430
October4774121
November830014
December1,14800

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 13.8 km from Sedgwick County. 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 USC00057515 (Sedgwick 5 S). Public domain.