Frost Dates for 02657 — Provincetown, Massachusetts

Half of springs at Plymouth-Kingston, MA see their last 32°F night by April 15; only one in ten is past it by April 2, and one in ten still has one after April 28. Planting tender crops after April 21 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 24 20%, and after April 28 10%. The 13 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 51% of the 71 Massachusetts stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 1 in half of years, as early as October 17 one year in ten, and holds off past November 14 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 13; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 18, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 198 days in a typical year, longer than at 86% of the 71 Massachusetts stations; it reaches 218 days one year in ten and falls short of 179 one year in ten. On average 120 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 15 days longer, to about April 30, and return around October 20. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 22 and March 4.

July is the warmest month at Plymouth-Kingston, MA, averaging 84°F by day and 64°F at night; January is the coldest at 41°F and 22°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to April (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,094 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 97% of the 71 Massachusetts stations. 29% of them (908) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 745. Precipitation totals 52.7 inches a year, most in March (5.8") and least in July (3.5"); May to September bring 36% of it.

The nearest other station, Hyannis Barnstable Municipal Airport, MA, 27 miles south of Provincetown, has a last frost 7 days later (April 22), a first frost 4 days earlier (October 28), a season 10 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Provincetown usually arrives around December 10, and the last of the season around March 19. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Plymouth-Kingston, MA, 26.5 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 27 days after the last snow.

ZIP 02657 is 27 miles from Plymouth-Kingston, MA, which stands at 45 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. That is farther than 25 miles, so local frost can differ noticeably from these figures. 4 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 02050 (Marshfield). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 02657 in zone 7b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.