Frost Dates for 14527 — Penn Yan, New York

Half of springs at Penn Yan Airport, NY see their last 32°F night by April 30; only one in ten is past it by April 18, and one in ten still has one after May 14. Planting tender crops after May 6 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 9 20%, and after May 14 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 22 in half of years, as early as October 5 one year in ten, and holds off past November 4 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 3, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 173 days in a typical year, longer than at 70% of the 173 New York stations; it reaches 193 days one year in ten and falls short of 152 one year in ten. On average 129 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 10 days longer, to about May 10, and return around October 7. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 5 and March 20.

July is the warmest month at Penn Yan Airport, NY, averaging 81°F by day and 62°F at night; January is the coldest at 33°F and 18°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November 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 47% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 2,679 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 66% of the 173 New York stations. 32% of them (851) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 669. Precipitation totals 30.3 inches a year, most in September (3.9") and least in February (1.3"); May to September bring 52% of it.

The nearest other station, Geneva Rsch Farm, NY, 15 miles north of Penn Yan and 185 feet lower, has the same 50% last-frost date, a first frost 1 day earlier (October 21).

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Penn Yan usually arrives around November 14, and the last of the season around April 6. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Geneva Rsch Farm, NY, 14.7 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 24 days after the last snow.

ZIP 14527 is 2 miles from Penn Yan Airport, NY, which stands at 903 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 14527 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.