Frost Dates for 08401 — Atlantic City, New Jersey

Half of springs at Atlantic City, NJ see their last 32°F night by March 26; only one in ten is past it by March 10, and one in ten still has one after April 6. Planting tender crops after March 31 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 3 20%, and after April 6 10%. The 11 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 95% of the 56 New Jersey stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 21 in half of years, as early as November 6 one year in ten, and holds off past December 7 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around December 2; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is March 30, 7 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 240 days in a typical year, longer than at 98% of the 56 New Jersey stations; it reaches 262 days one year in ten and falls short of 220 one year in ten. On average 56 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 9 days longer, to about April 4, and return around November 10. Nights of 24°F, cold enough to damage hardier plants, come in 100% of winters and 16°F in 88%.

July is the warmest month at Atlantic City, NJ, averaging 80°F by day and 71°F at night; January is the coldest at 42°F and 30°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from December to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to October the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 29% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,570 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 57% of the 56 New Jersey stations. 29% of them (1,045) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 787. Precipitation totals 43.8 inches a year, most in March (4.3") and least in January (3.1"); May to September bring 41% of it.

The nearest other station, Margate, NJ, 4 miles southwest of Atlantic City, has the same 50% last-frost date, a first frost 1 day later (November 22), a season 3 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Atlantic City usually arrives around January 7, and the last of the season around February 27. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Margate, NJ, 3.9 miles away: half of years saw snow earlier, half later. Snow fell in 95% of those winters. The last 32°F night of spring typically comes 27 days after the last snow.

ZIP 08401 is 1 mile from Atlantic City, NJ, which stands at 10 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 08401 in zone 8a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.