Ashland climate

Ashland Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Ashland 3S, 5.1 km from Ashland, elevation 826 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Ashland 3S. 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 20 and the first fall freeze around October 2, a growing season of about 133 days.

Median at 36°F
last June 2, first September 22
Median at 32°F
last May 20, first October 2
Median at 28°F
last May 5, first October 12

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 5Jun 2May 31May 28May 25May 21
32°FJun 3May 30May 26May 23May 20May 17May 14May 9May 3
28°FMay 21May 16May 12May 9May 5May 1Apr 29Apr 26Apr 22
24°FMay 7May 1Apr 29Apr 26Apr 23Apr 20Apr 17Apr 13Apr 8
20°FApr 24Apr 20Apr 17Apr 14Apr 10Apr 7Apr 5Apr 2Mar 30
16°FApr 18Apr 12Apr 8Apr 5Apr 3Apr 1Mar 31Mar 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 5Sep 11Sep 16Sep 19Sep 22Sep 24Sep 27Sep 30Oct 4
32°FSep 19Sep 24Sep 27Sep 29Oct 2Oct 4Oct 7Oct 11Oct 15
28°FSep 28Oct 3Oct 6Oct 9Oct 12Oct 15Oct 18Oct 22Oct 27
24°FOct 9Oct 15Oct 19Oct 23Oct 26Oct 29Nov 1Nov 4Nov 9
20°FOct 22Oct 28Nov 1Nov 3Nov 5Nov 7Nov 11Nov 14Nov 20
16°FNov 1Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 14Nov 17Nov 20Nov 24Nov 29

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°F1291241191151111071039890
32°F155148142138133129125119113
28°F179172168163159155150145137
24°F203197193188184180176171165
20°F225219214210206202198193187
16°F243236230227223219215211203

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
8,882
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
290
Growing degree days, base 40°F
3,545
Growing degree days, base 45°F
2,632
Growing degree days, base 50°F
1,844
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,178
Growing degree days, base 60°F
656

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,61500
February1,35800
March1,17204
April779020
May4318132
June15844342
July50119533
August6190495
September23828263
October621151
November99604
December1,40300

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 5.1 km from Ashland. 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 USC00470347 (Ashland 3S). Public domain.