USDA Hardiness Zone 7a
Frost Dates for 40403 — Berea, Kentucky
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Berea College, KY (1,070 ft), under a mile west.
Updated
In Berea, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 5 in half of years and has passed by April 23 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around November 2, as early as October 19 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 213 days (NOAA, Berea College, KY).
- Last spring frost
- April 5
- First fall frost
- November 2
- Growing season
- 213 days
- Hardiness zone
- 7a
50% probability
50% probability
freeze-free, 50%
0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C) coldest night
- First snow
- Rare
- Last snow
- Rare
- Winters with snow
- 41%
- Snow per year
- 1.3"
median, 1991–2020
median, 1991–2020
7 of 17 observed
NOAA normal
Frost risk by date in Berea
Half of springs at Berea College, KY see their last 32°F night by April 5; only one in ten is past it by March 20, and one in ten still has one after April 23. Planting tender crops after April 12 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 17 20%, and after April 23 10%. The 18 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 54% of the 113 Kentucky stations behind this site's ZIP pages.
In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 2 in half of years, as early as October 19 one year in ten, and holds off past November 18 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around November 14; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 9, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 213 days in a typical year, longer than at 95% of the 113 Kentucky stations; it reaches 235 days one year in ten and falls short of 187 one year in ten. On average 84 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 13 days longer, to about April 18, and return around October 23. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 99% of winters, usually between December 27 and February 13.
| Low | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 1 | Apr 6 | Apr 11 | Apr 14 | Apr 18 | Apr 21 | Apr 25 | Apr 30 | May 6 |
| 32°F | Mar 20 | Mar 26 | Mar 30 | Apr 2 | Apr 5 | Apr 8 | Apr 12 | Apr 17 | Apr 23 |
| 28°F | Mar 6 | Mar 12 | Mar 17 | Mar 21 | Mar 24 | Mar 28 | Mar 31 | Apr 4 | Apr 9 |
| 24°F | Feb 19 | Feb 28 | Mar 4 | Mar 8 | Mar 12 | Mar 16 | Mar 20 | Mar 24 | Mar 30 |
| 20°F | Feb 3 | Feb 11 | Feb 17 | Feb 23 | Feb 28 | Mar 3 | Mar 8 | Mar 13 | Mar 20 |
| 16°F99% of yrs | Jan 20 | Jan 30 | Feb 3 | Feb 7 | Feb 13 | Feb 20 | Feb 27 | Mar 2 | Mar 10 |
| Low | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Oct 10 | Oct 15 | Oct 18 | Oct 21 | Oct 23 | Oct 25 | Oct 28 | Nov 1 | Nov 5 |
| 32°F | Oct 19 | Oct 24 | Oct 27 | Oct 30 | Nov 2 | Nov 4 | Nov 8 | Nov 12 | Nov 18 |
| 28°F | Nov 1 | Nov 4 | Nov 8 | Nov 11 | Nov 14 | Nov 18 | Nov 22 | Nov 27 | Dec 3 |
| 24°F | Nov 9 | Nov 15 | Nov 19 | Nov 24 | Nov 28 | Dec 2 | Dec 5 | Dec 10 | Dec 18 |
| 20°F | Nov 21 | Nov 29 | Dec 2 | Dec 6 | Dec 11 | Dec 15 | Dec 21 | Dec 27 | Jan 4 |
| 16°F99% of yrs | Dec 3 | Dec 8 | Dec 15 | Dec 22 | Dec 27 | Jan 1 | Jan 5 | Jan 11 | Jan 21 |
Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Berea College, KY, 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 40403 →Compare Berea with another place →
Frost risk through the year in Berea
In Berea, the spring curve drops under 10% on April 23 and the fall curve passes 10% on October 19, 179 days later; that gap is longer than at 80% of the 113 Kentucky stations with frost dates. The spring risk falls from 90% to 10% over 34 days (March 20 to April 23) and the fall risk climbs from 10% to 90% over 30 days (October 19 to November 18): both ends of the season vary about as much. At Crab Orchard 6 N, KY, 11 miles southwest, the same gap runs from May 9 to October 9, 26 days shorter.
| Planted on | Another 32°F night | 28°F night |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 22 | 87% | 57% |
| Mar 29 | 73% | 37% |
| Apr 550% date | 50% | 18% |
| Apr 12 | 30% | under 10% |
| Apr 19 | 17% | under 10% |
| Apr 26 | under 10% | under 10% |
Weather by month in Berea
July is the warmest month at Berea College, KY, averaging 87°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 45°F and 29°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 63% of years.
Warmth for growing adds up to 4,429 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 81% of the 113 Kentucky stations. 39% of them (1,734) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 838.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | 32°F night | Nights ≤ 32°F | GDD 50°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45 | 29 | 100% | 21 | 19 |
| Feb | 51 | 32 | 100% | 18 | 32 |
| Mar | 60 | 39 | 100% | 12 | 116 |
| Apr | 70 | 48 | 63% | 2 | 306 |
| May | 78 | 57 | 4% | <1 | 538 |
| Jun | 84 | 64 | 0% | 0 | 723 |
| Jul | 87 | 67 | 0% | 0 | 838 |
| Aug | 86 | 66 | 0% | 0 | 800 |
| Sep | 80 | 60 | 0% | 0 | 598 |
| Oct | 70 | 49 | 45% | 2 | 316 |
| Nov | 58 | 40 | 97% | 10 | 112 |
| Dec | 49 | 33 | 100% | 19 | 32 |
Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Berea College, KY (1,070 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, Crab Orchard 6 N, KY, 11 miles southwest of Berea, has a last frost 13 days later (April 18), a first frost 9 days earlier (October 24), a season 25 days shorter.
When it snows in Berea, Kentucky
Measurable snow is rare here: only 7 of 17 winters from 1991 to 2020 recorded 0.1 inch or more at Richmond State Police, KY, 11.1 miles away, so there is no typical first-snow date to plan around.
Planting calendar for 40403
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January 25 – February 8 | Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out. |
| February 8 – February 22 | Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early. |
| March 8 – March 22 | Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil. |
| April 5 onward | Transplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast. |
| by August 10 | Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops. |
| by October 19 | Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation. |
| November 2 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 40403 is under a mile from Berea College, KY, which stands at 1,070 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 40403 in zone 7a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°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.