Claflin climate

Claflin Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Great Bend 3W, 31.4 km from Claflin, elevation 1872 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Great Bend 3W. 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 April 24 and the first fall freeze around October 15, a growing season of about 172 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 3, first October 5
Median at 32°F
last April 24, first October 15
Median at 28°F
last April 14, first October 25

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 16May 11May 8May 5May 3May 1Apr 29Apr 25Apr 20
32°FMay 7May 2Apr 30Apr 27Apr 24Apr 21Apr 18Apr 15Apr 10
28°FApr 28Apr 24Apr 20Apr 17Apr 14Apr 11Apr 8Apr 4Apr 1
24°FApr 21Apr 15Apr 11Apr 7Apr 4Apr 2Mar 30Mar 26Mar 19
20°FApr 11Apr 5Apr 2Mar 29Mar 25Mar 21Mar 17Mar 13Mar 7
16°FApr 3Mar 27Mar 21Mar 17Mar 13Mar 9Mar 5Mar 2Feb 26

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 22Sep 26Sep 30Oct 3Oct 5Oct 8Oct 11Oct 14Oct 18
32°FSep 30Oct 5Oct 9Oct 12Oct 15Oct 17Oct 20Oct 23Oct 27
28°FOct 10Oct 16Oct 19Oct 22Oct 25Oct 27Oct 30Nov 2Nov 7
24°FOct 20Oct 25Oct 28Oct 31Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 15
20°FOct 27Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 14Nov 17Nov 21Nov 27
16°FNov 3Nov 9Nov 13Nov 17Nov 20Nov 25Nov 28Dec 1Dec 8

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°F173167163159155151147143135
32°F192184179175172169165160152
28°F211205199195191187182178172
24°F233226220216211207203197189
20°F254246240235230225220214206
16°F274266260255250245240233224

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
5,188
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
1,320
Growing degree days, base 40°F
6,288
Growing degree days, base 45°F
5,025
Growing degree days, base 50°F
3,902
Growing degree days, base 55°F
2,910
Growing degree days, base 60°F
2,049

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,07401
February86809
March657160
April36114179
May13085427
June11275714
July1412876
August3350812
September60159551
October31323233
November685139
December1,02602

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 31.4 km from Claflin. 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 USC00143218 (Great Bend 3W). Public domain.