Manchester climate

Manchester Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Millers 4 Ne, 9.6 km from Manchester, elevation 860 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Millers 4 Ne. 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 19 and the first fall freeze around October 25, a growing season of about 188 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 2, first October 13
Median at 32°F
last April 19, first October 25
Median at 28°F
last April 5, first November 4

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 18May 13May 9May 6May 2Apr 29Apr 26Apr 21Apr 17
32°FMay 8May 1Apr 26Apr 22Apr 19Apr 15Apr 12Apr 9Apr 4
28°FApr 21Apr 15Apr 11Apr 8Apr 5Apr 2Mar 31Mar 28Mar 22
24°FApr 6Apr 1Mar 30Mar 27Mar 25Mar 21Mar 19Mar 15Mar 10
20°FMar 28Mar 24Mar 20Mar 18Mar 15Mar 12Mar 8Mar 4Feb 28
16°FMar 20Mar 16Mar 13Mar 8Mar 5Mar 2Feb 27Feb 22Feb 15

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°FOct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 10Oct 13Oct 16Oct 20Oct 23Oct 27
32°FOct 8Oct 13Oct 17Oct 22Oct 25Oct 28Oct 31Nov 3Nov 7
28°FOct 20Oct 26Oct 30Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 14Nov 20
24°FNov 2Nov 5Nov 9Nov 12Nov 15Nov 19Nov 23Nov 29Dec 5
20°FNov 11Nov 17Nov 22Nov 26Dec 1Dec 4Dec 7Dec 14Dec 21
16°FNov 27Dec 2Dec 6Dec 11Dec 16Dec 20Dec 23Dec 29Jan 5

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°F184177171166162158154149140
32°F208201196192188184178173163
28°F235227222217213209205199193
24°F261253247242238234229224218
20°F287279271267262257251245238
16°F310302295291287282275268260

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
5,034
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
927
Growing degree days, base 40°F
5,861
Growing degree days, base 45°F
4,577
Growing degree days, base 50°F
3,441
Growing degree days, base 55°F
2,451
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,612

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,03505
February86506
March718138
April36813162
May14661383
June21183612
July1300764
August4247708
September63108496
October31215206
November603050
December898011

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 9.6 km from Manchester. 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 USC00185934 (Millers 4 Ne). Public domain.