Galien climate

Galien Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for South Bend Michiana Rgnl AP, 18.2 km from Galien, elevation 773 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for South Bend Michiana Rgnl AP. 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 1 and the first fall freeze around October 19, a growing season of about 170 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 11, first October 7
Median at 32°F
last May 1, first October 19
Median at 28°F
last April 19, first October 31

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 18May 15May 11May 8May 5May 1Apr 27
32°FMay 17May 11May 7May 4May 1Apr 28Apr 24Apr 20Apr 16
28°FMay 5Apr 30Apr 25Apr 22Apr 19Apr 16Apr 13Apr 9Apr 4
24°FApr 21Apr 17Apr 14Apr 11Apr 7Apr 4Apr 2Mar 31Mar 26
20°FApr 11Apr 5Apr 2Mar 31Mar 29Mar 26Mar 22Mar 19Mar 13
16°FApr 1Mar 28Mar 25Mar 21Mar 18Mar 15Mar 12Mar 7Feb 28

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 25Sep 29Oct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 9Oct 12Oct 14Oct 19
32°FOct 5Oct 10Oct 14Oct 17Oct 19Oct 21Oct 24Oct 27Nov 1
28°FOct 19Oct 23Oct 26Oct 29Oct 31Nov 2Nov 4Nov 8Nov 13
24°FNov 1Nov 3Nov 6Nov 9Nov 12Nov 14Nov 18Nov 22Nov 29
20°FNov 6Nov 11Nov 15Nov 18Nov 21Nov 25Nov 29Dec 2Dec 8
16°FNov 13Nov 19Nov 23Nov 27Dec 1Dec 3Dec 7Dec 12Dec 19

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°F167161156152148144139134127
32°F189183178175170166162156149
28°F212206201197193189185180171
24°F238230225222218214210205198
20°F263255248244239235230225218
16°F286277270264258253248242236

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
6,400
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
722
Growing degree days, base 40°F
5,025
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,898
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,905
Growing degree days, base 55°F
2,042
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,310

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,26800
February1,06102
March879225
April514692
May23148303
June44156563
July7236694
August14189640
September11677414
October4149145
November758025
December1,09603

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 18.2 km from Galien. 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 USW00014848 (South Bend Michiana Rgnl AP). Public domain.