Franklin climate

Franklin Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Franklin 2 Ne, 4.1 km from Franklin, elevation 1900 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Franklin 2 Ne. 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 162 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 12, first October 2
Median at 32°F
last April 30, first October 11
Median at 28°F
last April 18, first October 23

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 23May 19May 16May 12May 9May 6May 1Apr 27
32°FMay 18May 12May 8May 3Apr 30Apr 27Apr 23Apr 20Apr 15
28°FMay 7Apr 30Apr 24Apr 21Apr 18Apr 14Apr 11Apr 7Apr 2
24°FApr 19Apr 13Apr 9Apr 5Apr 3Apr 1Mar 29Mar 25Mar 19
20°FApr 5Apr 1Mar 29Mar 25Mar 22Mar 17Mar 13Mar 8Mar 1
16°FMar 27Mar 22Mar 17Mar 12Mar 8Mar 4Feb 28Feb 24Feb 17

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 18Sep 23Sep 26Sep 30Oct 2Oct 4Oct 7Oct 10Oct 15
32°FSep 28Oct 2Oct 5Oct 8Oct 11Oct 13Oct 17Oct 22Oct 26
28°FOct 6Oct 12Oct 16Oct 19Oct 23Oct 26Oct 29Nov 1Nov 6
24°FOct 17Oct 23Oct 28Nov 1Nov 3Nov 5Nov 8Nov 12Nov 19
20°FOct 31Nov 4Nov 7Nov 12Nov 16Nov 20Nov 24Nov 30Dec 5
16°FNov 10Nov 15Nov 20Nov 25Nov 30Dec 4Dec 7Dec 12Dec 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°F162156151147143139135129122
32°F185177171166162158153148140
28°F210201197192187182177171163
24°F236228223218213209204198190
20°F264256248243239234228222214
16°F296286279273267261255248240

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
5,126
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
635
Growing degree days, base 40°F
5,444
Growing degree days, base 45°F
4,166
Growing degree days, base 50°F
3,041
Growing degree days, base 55°F
2,074
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,268

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,00603
February85004
March695039
April3824148
May16639344
June35129544
July4215676
August8175632
September9164426
October3438178
November641039
December90708

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 4.1 km from Franklin. 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 USC00463215 (Franklin 2 Ne). Public domain.