USDA Hardiness Zone 6a
Frost Dates for 12754 — Liberty, New York
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Liberty 1 NE, NY (1,580 ft), under a mile northwest.
Updated
In Liberty, the last spring frost (32°F) is around May 9 in half of years and has passed by May 23 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 5, as early as September 24 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 149 days (NOAA, Liberty 1 NE, NY).
- Last spring frost
- May 9
- First fall frost
- October 5
- Growing season
- 149 days
- Hardiness zone
- 6a
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
-10 to -5°F (-23.3 to -20.6°C) coldest night
- First snow
- November 15
- Last snow
- April 1
- Winters with snow
- 100%
- Snow per year
- 69.9"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
26 of 26 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Liberty
Half of springs at Liberty 1 NE, NY see their last 32°F night by May 9; only one in ten is past it by April 24, and one in ten still has one after May 23. Planting tender crops after May 14 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 18 20%, and after May 23 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 63% of the 173 New York stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 5 in half of years, as early as September 24 one year in ten, and holds off past October 23 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 15 days later, around October 20; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 12, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 149 days in a typical year, shorter than at 76% of the 173 New York stations; it reaches 171 days one year in ten and falls short of 131 one year in ten. On average 163 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 11 days longer, to about May 20, and return around September 27. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 26 and March 26.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 6 | May 11 | May 14 | May 17 | May 20 | May 23 | May 26 | May 29 | Jun 2 |
| 32°F | Apr 24 | Apr 30 | May 3 | May 6 | May 9 | May 12 | May 14 | May 18 | May 23 |
| 28°F | Apr 11 | Apr 17 | Apr 20 | Apr 23 | Apr 27 | Apr 30 | May 3 | May 7 | May 12 |
| 24°F | Apr 1 | Apr 4 | Apr 7 | Apr 10 | Apr 12 | Apr 15 | Apr 18 | Apr 22 | Apr 29 |
| 20°F | Mar 19 | Mar 25 | Mar 30 | Apr 1 | Apr 3 | Apr 4 | Apr 6 | Apr 10 | Apr 15 |
| 16°F | Mar 10 | Mar 16 | Mar 20 | Mar 23 | Mar 26 | Mar 29 | Apr 1 | Apr 3 | Apr 7 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Sep 15 | Sep 20 | Sep 23 | Sep 25 | Sep 27 | Oct 1 | Oct 2 | Oct 4 | Oct 9 |
| 32°F | Sep 24 | Sep 29 | Oct 1 | Oct 3 | Oct 5 | Oct 8 | Oct 12 | Oct 17 | Oct 23 |
| 28°F | Oct 3 | Oct 8 | Oct 12 | Oct 17 | Oct 20 | Oct 24 | Oct 29 | Nov 1 | Nov 6 |
| 24°F | Oct 14 | Oct 21 | Oct 26 | Oct 31 | Nov 2 | Nov 5 | Nov 9 | Nov 13 | Nov 18 |
| 20°F | Oct 31 | Nov 3 | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 16 | Nov 21 | Nov 24 | Nov 29 |
| 16°F | Nov 10 | Nov 15 | Nov 19 | Nov 22 | Nov 26 | Nov 29 | Dec 1 | Dec 5 | Dec 10 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Liberty 1 NE, NY, from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Where a temperature is reached in fewer than 99.5% of years, the dates describe only the years that reach it. Not a forecast.
Frost risk on any date in 12754 →Compare Liberty with another place →
Weather by month in Liberty
July is the warmest month at Liberty 1 NE, NY, averaging 79°F by day and 57°F at night; January is the coldest at 30°F and 13°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October to April (a 90% chance or more). From June to August the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, May still brings one in 76% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 2,033 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 91% of the 173 New York stations. 30% of them (609) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 558. Precipitation totals 53.1 inches a year, most in August (5.3") and least in February (2.8"); May to September bring 47% of it.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30 | 13 | 3.7 | 100% | 30 | 0 |
| Feb | 33 | 14 | 2.8 | 100% | 27 | 0 |
| Mar | 41 | 22 | 3.9 | 100% | 27 | 5 |
| Apr | 55 | 32 | 4.2 | 100% | 17 | 41 |
| May | 66 | 43 | 4.7 | 76% | 3 | 174 |
| Jun | 74 | 52 | 5.2 | 2% | 0 | 389 |
| Jul | 79 | 57 | 4.7 | 0% | 0 | 558 |
| Aug | 77 | 55 | 5.3 | 0% | 0 | 496 |
| Sep | 70 | 48 | 5.2 | 24% | 1 | 287 |
| Oct | 58 | 37 | 4.8 | 96% | 10 | 74 |
| Nov | 47 | 28 | 3.9 | 100% | 21 | 9 |
| Dec | 35 | 20 | 4.7 | 100% | 28 | 1 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Liberty 1 NE, NY (1,580 ft), NOAA NCEI. "32°F night": chance of at least one in the month. GDD: growing degree days, base 50°F.
Compared with the next station
The nearest other station, Callicoon Ctr, NY, 11 miles west of Liberty and 359 feet lower, has a last frost 3 days later (May 12), a first frost 2 days later (October 7), a season 3 days shorter.
When it snows in Liberty, New York
The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Liberty usually arrives around November 15, and the last of the season around April 1. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Liberty 1 NE, NY, 0.3 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 38 days after the last snow.
Planting calendar for 12754
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| February 28 – March 14 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| March 14 – March 28 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| April 11 – April 25 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| May 9 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by July 13 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by September 21 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| October 5 onward | Plant garlic, mulch beds, lift tender bulbsGarlic wants a cold spell; bare soil loses structure over winter. |
The weeks before and after the 50% dates are general rules of thumb, not NOAA figures; a seed packet gives the timing for each variety.
Where these figures come from
ZIP 12754 is under a mile from Liberty 1 NE, NY, which stands at 1,580 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 3 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 12754 in zone 6a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -10 to -5°F (-23.3 to -20.6°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.
Hardiness zone and temperature range: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (USDA-ARS, Oregon State University), ZIP-code listing, unchanged. °C converted from °F by this site.
Thirty-year averages, not a forecast: check the forecast before planting out. How stations are matched and which pages are offered to search engines: methodology.