Springer climate

Springer Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Springer, 0.9 km from Springer, elevation 5888 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Springer. 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 30 and the first fall freeze around October 11, a growing season of about 164 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 9, first October 3
Median at 32°F
last April 30, first October 11
Median at 28°F
last April 18, first October 20

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

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°F161156152148145142138133124
32°F179174170167164161157153147
28°F201195190186182179175170164
24°F223216211207203199195190183
20°F248239234228224219214209201
16°F271262256250245240234228219

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
5,084
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
691
Growing degree days, base 40°F
5,465
Growing degree days, base 45°F
4,164
Growing degree days, base 50°F
3,030
Growing degree days, base 55°F
2,075
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,298

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January95302
February80503
March614034
April4130103
May17228326
June24156582
July1254717
August3190652
September8360429
October3522156
November672025
December99201

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 0.9 km from Springer. 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 USC00298501 (Springer). Public domain.