USDA Hardiness Zone 5b

Frost Dates for 16749 — Smethport, Pennsylvania

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Clermont 1 NW, PA (2,080 ft), 8 miles south.

Updated October 28, 2026

In Smethport, the last spring frost (32°F) is around May 15 in half of years and has passed by May 31 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 3, as early as September 21 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 140 days (NOAA, Clermont 1 NW, PA).

Last spring frost: May 15
First fall frost: October 3
Growing season: 140 days
Hardiness zone: 5b

First snow: November 2
Last snow: April 14
Winters with snow: 100%
Snow per year: 79.5"

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Frost risk by date in Smethport

Half of springs at Clermont 1 NW, PA see their last 32°F night by May 15; only one in ten is past it by April 30, and one in ten still has one after May 31. Planting tender crops after May 22 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 26 20%, and after May 31 10%. The 16 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 51% of the 176 Pennsylvania stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 3 in half of years, as early as September 21 one year in ten, and holds off past October 18 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 13 days later, around October 16; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 20, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 140 days in a typical year, shorter than at 94% of the 176 Pennsylvania stations; it reaches 162 days one year in ten and falls short of 121 one year in ten. On average 166 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 14 days longer, to about May 29, and return around September 23. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 23 and March 31.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low	90%	80%	70%	60%	50%	40%	30%	20%	10%
36°F	May 13	May 19	May 22	May 25	May 29	May 31	Jun 2	Jun 6	Jun 11
32°F	Apr 30	May 4	May 8	May 11	May 15	May 19	May 22	May 26	May 31
28°F	Apr 19	Apr 23	Apr 27	Apr 30	May 4	May 6	May 10	May 15	May 20
24°F	Apr 7	Apr 11	Apr 15	Apr 18	Apr 21	Apr 24	Apr 28	May 1	May 7
20°F	Mar 26	Mar 31	Apr 3	Apr 5	Apr 7	Apr 11	Apr 15	Apr 18	Apr 23
16°F	Mar 15	Mar 20	Mar 24	Mar 28	Mar 31	Apr 1	Apr 4	Apr 7	Apr 13

Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low	10%	20%	30%	40%	50%	60%	70%	80%	90%
36°F	Sep 6	Sep 14	Sep 17	Sep 21	Sep 23	Sep 25	Sep 29	Oct 1	Oct 4
32°F	Sep 21	Sep 25	Sep 29	Oct 1	Oct 3	Oct 6	Oct 9	Oct 12	Oct 18
28°F	Oct 1	Oct 5	Oct 10	Oct 13	Oct 16	Oct 20	Oct 23	Oct 27	Nov 1
24°F	Oct 13	Oct 19	Oct 23	Oct 27	Oct 31	Nov 2	Nov 5	Nov 9	Nov 15
20°F	Oct 28	Nov 1	Nov 5	Nov 8	Nov 12	Nov 15	Nov 18	Nov 23	Nov 29
16°F	Nov 6	Nov 12	Nov 16	Nov 20	Nov 23	Nov 27	Dec 1	Dec 4	Dec 10

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Clermont 1 NW, PA, 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 16749 →Compare Smethport with another place →

Frost risk through the year in Smethport

Frost curve for Smethport, Pennsylvania (Clermont 1 NW, PA, NOAA 1991–2020): the chance of another 32°F night falls from 90% on April 30 to 50% on May 15 and 10% on May 31; the chance that the first fall one has come rises from 10% on September 21 to 50% on October 3 and 90% on October 18. — In Smethport, the spring curve drops under 10% on May 31 and the fall curve passes 10% on September 21, 113 days later; that gap is shorter than at 94% of the 176 Pennsylvania stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 31 days (April 30 to May 31) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 27 days (September 21 to October 18): both ends of the season vary about as much. At Port Allegany, PA, 8 miles east, the same gap runs from May 29 to September 25, 6 days longer.

Chance of a frost after each planting date in Smethport
Planted on	Another 32°F night	28°F night
May 1	88%	58%
May 8	70%	35%
May 1550% date	50%	20%
May 22	30%	under 10%
May 29	14%	under 10%
Jun 5	under 10%	under 10%

Weather by month in Smethport

July is the warmest month at Clermont 1 NW, PA, averaging 76°F by day and 55°F at night; January is the coldest at 29°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 85% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 1,804 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), the fewest of the 176 Pennsylvania stations. 33% of them (597) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 480. Precipitation totals 50.8 inches a year, most in July (4.8") and least in February (3.0"); May to September bring 46% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Clermont 1 NW, PA
Month	High °F	Low °F	Precip. in	32°F night	Nights ≤ 32°F	GDD 50°F
Jan	29	13	3.7	100%	29	1
Feb	32	14	3.0	100%	27	1
Mar	41	21	3.7	100%	26	8
Apr	55	31	4.4	100%	18	46
May	66	42	4.7	85%	5	182
Jun	73	51	4.7	7%	<1	360
Jul	76	55	4.8	0%	0	480
Aug	74	53	4.8	0%	0	429
Sep	67	47	4.4	37%	1	224
Oct	57	37	4.4	98%	10	65
Nov	44	28	4.1	100%	22	8
Dec	34	20	4.1	100%	28	1

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Clermont 1 NW, PA (2,080 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, Port Allegany, PA, 8 miles east of Smethport and 605 feet lower, has the same 50% last-frost date, a first frost 3 days later (October 6), a season 4 days longer.

Frost dates for 16743 (Port Allegany) →

When it snows in Smethport, Pennsylvania

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Smethport usually arrives around November 2, and the last of the season around April 14. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Clermont 1 NW, PA, 7.5 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 31 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 16749

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Smethport, Pennsylvania
When	What to do
March 6 – March 20	Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
March 20 – April 3	Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
April 17 – May 1	Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
May 15 onward	Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by July 11	Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by September 19	Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
October 3 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 16749 is 8 miles from Clermont 1 NW, PA, which stands at 2,080 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 16749 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.

Frost dates across Pennsylvania →

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.