Frost Dates for 01440 — Gardner, Massachusetts

Half of springs at Ashburnham, MA see their last 32°F night by May 2; only one in ten is past it by April 19, and one in ten still has one after May 16. Planting tender crops after May 8 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 11 20%, and after May 16 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 51% of the 71 Massachusetts stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 13 in half of years, as early as October 1 one year in ten, and holds off past October 30 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around October 25; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 3, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 163 days in a typical year, shorter than at 63% of the 71 Massachusetts stations; it reaches 184 days one year in ten and falls short of 145 one year in ten. On average 152 nights a year drop to 32°F or below. Nights of 36°F, when frost can still settle on leaves in low, open spots, continue 12 days longer, to about May 14, and return around October 2. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 1 and March 20.

July is the warmest month at Ashburnham, MA, averaging 80°F by day and 60°F at night; January is the coldest at 31°F and 14°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 55% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 2,244 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 96% of the 71 Massachusetts stations. 30% of them (673) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 607. Precipitation totals 49.3 inches a year, most in October (5.1") and least in February (3.3"); May to September bring 41% of it.

The nearest other station, Ashburnham N, MA, 7 miles northeast of Gardner, has a last frost 3 days later (May 5), a first frost 6 days earlier (October 7), a season 11 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Gardner usually arrives around November 15, and the last of the season around April 10. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Ashburnham, MA, 4.9 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Every one of those winters saw snow. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 22 days after the last snow.

ZIP 01440 is 5 miles from Ashburnham, MA, which stands at 1,108 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 1 other ZIP code shares the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 01440 in zone 5b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -15 to -10°F (-26.1 to -23.3°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.