Becker climate

Becker Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Santiago 3 E, 19.4 km from Becker, elevation 1010 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Santiago 3 E. 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 7 and the first fall freeze around September 28, a growing season of about 144 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 18, first September 20
Median at 32°F
last May 7, first September 28
Median at 28°F
last April 28, first October 8

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

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°F143137132129124120116111104
32°F161156152147144140136131125
28°F184177171167163159154150141
24°F206199194190185182177172164
20°F227220215211208204199194187
16°F245237233229225220215211204

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
8,208
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
464
Growing degree days, base 40°F
4,237
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,245
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,365
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,596
Growing degree days, base 60°F
957

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,61300
February1,32600
March1,07106
April623253
May27126248
June6693477
July18173620
August34123553
September19044321
October571380
November99507
December1,43100

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 19.4 km from Becker. Low ground, valleys and open fields freeze earlier and later than a town center or a hillside.

More

Sources

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020, annual and seasonal normals for station USC00217502 (Santiago 3 E). Public domain.