Onaway climate

Onaway Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Onaway 4N, 5.9 km from Onaway, elevation 745 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Onaway 4N. 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 22 and the first fall freeze around October 2, a growing season of about 135 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 2, first September 19
Median at 32°F
last May 22, first October 2
Median at 28°F
last May 7, first October 16

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 16Jun 10Jun 7Jun 4Jun 2May 31May 28May 25May 21
32°FJun 2May 30May 27May 24May 22May 19May 15May 11May 3
28°FMay 24May 19May 15May 11May 7May 4Apr 30Apr 28Apr 25
24°FMay 12May 4Apr 30Apr 28Apr 25Apr 23Apr 19Apr 16Apr 11
20°FApr 28Apr 24Apr 20Apr 17Apr 14Apr 11Apr 7Apr 4Mar 31
16°FApr 18Apr 13Apr 8Apr 5Apr 3Apr 1Mar 30Mar 27Mar 21

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 7Sep 12Sep 16Sep 19Sep 22Sep 25Sep 29Oct 3
32°FSep 16Sep 21Sep 25Sep 29Oct 2Oct 5Oct 8Oct 12Oct 16
28°FSep 26Oct 3Oct 7Oct 12Oct 16Oct 19Oct 23Oct 27Nov 1
24°FOct 15Oct 21Oct 27Oct 30Nov 1Nov 3Nov 6Nov 10Nov 16
20°FOct 31Nov 3Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 17Nov 20Nov 24Dec 1
16°FNov 8Nov 13Nov 17Nov 20Nov 24Nov 28Dec 1Dec 4Dec 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°F128121117112108103999383
32°F156148143139135131125119112
28°F182174169165160156151146137
24°F211204198194190185180175166
20°F236228223219214210206200192
16°F257249243239234230226221212

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
7,815
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
359
Growing degree days, base 40°F
3,935
Growing degree days, base 45°F
2,955
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,106
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,377
Growing degree days, base 60°F
783

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,41500
February1,24500
March1,09607
April707233
May35318185
June11067408
July33128559
August47103521
September19839304
October537481
November86109
December1,21400

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 5.9 km from Onaway. 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 USC00206184 (Onaway 4N). Public domain.