Elko climate

Elko Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Elko Rgnl AP, 2.2 km from Elko, elevation 5030 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Elko 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 29 and the first fall freeze around September 18, a growing season of about 111 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 12, first September 7
Median at 32°F
last May 29, first September 18
Median at 28°F
last May 11, first September 29

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

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°F1059894908681777263
32°F1331271201161111071019588
28°F161155149144139134129122111
24°F192183177172167163158152144
20°F226217209203197192187180170
16°F258250242237232225219212201

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
6,744
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
495
Growing degree days, base 40°F
4,275
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,191
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,290
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,553
Growing degree days, base 60°F
954

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,18000
February93400
March77705
April584034
May3406175
June11763401
July14227679
August24167608
September17331322
October545163
November87303
December1,18700

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 2.2 km from Elko. 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 USW00024121 (Elko Rgnl AP). Public domain.