Woodland Park climate

Woodland Park Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Divide 4NW, 14.2 km from Woodland Park, elevation 9134 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Divide 4NW. 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 June 1 and the first fall freeze around September 21, a growing season of about 110 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 15, first September 10
Median at 32°F
last June 1, first September 21
Median at 28°F
last May 21, first September 30

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°FJul 2Jun 25Jun 21Jun 18Jun 15Jun 12Jun 8Jun 5Jun 2
32°FJun 17Jun 11Jun 7Jun 4Jun 1May 31May 28May 25May 22
28°FJun 2May 30May 26May 24May 21May 19May 17May 14May 10
24°FMay 24May 19May 16May 14May 11May 9May 6May 3Apr 30
20°FMay 15May 10May 6May 4May 2Apr 30Apr 27Apr 22Apr 17
16°FMay 7May 2Apr 29Apr 26Apr 22Apr 19Apr 15Apr 11Apr 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°FAug 27Sep 1Sep 4Sep 7Sep 10Sep 12Sep 15Sep 18Sep 23
32°FSep 7Sep 12Sep 15Sep 18Sep 21Sep 23Sep 25Sep 28Oct 2
28°FSep 17Sep 22Sep 25Sep 27Sep 30Oct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 14
24°FSep 27Oct 1Oct 3Oct 6Oct 9Oct 12Oct 15Oct 19Oct 23
20°FOct 4Oct 9Oct 13Oct 16Oct 19Oct 22Oct 25Oct 29Nov 2
16°FOct 14Oct 18Oct 22Oct 25Oct 28Nov 1Nov 3Nov 5Nov 11

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°F1049894908582777265
32°F1251211171131101051029791
28°F146141138134130127123118112
24°F168162158155151148143139132
20°F189182177173169165161157150
16°F212203198193189185180174165

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
9,425
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
4
Growing degree days, base 40°F
2,353
Growing degree days, base 45°F
1,547
Growing degree days, base 50°F
889
Growing degree days, base 55°F
389
Growing degree days, base 60°F
93

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,36400
February1,19100
March1,10401
April90901
May656026
June3061169
July1432324
August2161253
September3930104
October764013
November1,06100
December1,31900

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 14.2 km from Woodland Park. Low ground, valleys and open fields freeze earlier and later than a town center or a hillside.

More

Sources

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020, annual and seasonal normals for station USC00052294 (Divide 4NW). Public domain.