Van Buren climate

Van Buren Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Van Buren 2, 1.1 km from Van Buren, elevation 456 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Van Buren 2. 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 23 and the first fall freeze around September 26, a growing season of about 125 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 4, first September 15
Median at 32°F
last May 23, first September 26
Median at 28°F
last May 7, first October 5

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

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°F11911310910510197938880
32°F145139134129125121116112105
28°F170164158154150146142137129
24°F193187182178174170166161154
20°F215209204200196192188184177
16°F230225221217214210206201194

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
9,852
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
196
Growing degree days, base 40°F
3,166
Growing degree days, base 45°F
2,303
Growing degree days, base 50°F
1,563
Growing degree days, base 55°F
954
Growing degree days, base 60°F
494

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,78500
February1,57100
March1,36600
April85806
May4585105
June18432304
July6084488
August8961437
September30414194
October685026
November1,01303
December1,48000

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 1.1 km from Van Buren. 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 USC00178965 (Van Buren 2). Public domain.