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USDA Hardiness Zone 6b

Frost Dates for 41042 — Florence, Kentucky

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY (869 ft), 4 miles north.

Updated

In Florence, the last spring frost (32°F) is around April 18 in half of years and has passed by May 7 in nine years out of ten. The first fall frost comes around October 25, as early as October 12 one year in ten, leaving a typical freeze-free season of 188 days (NOAA, Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY).

Last spring frost
April 18

50% probability

First fall frost
October 25

50% probability

Growing season
188 days

freeze-free, 50%

Hardiness zone
6b

-5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C) coldest night

First snow
November 29

median, 1991–2020

Last snow
March 21

median, 1991–2020

Winters with snow
100%

30 of 30 observed

Snow per year
23.3"

NOAA normal

Frost risk by date in Florence

Half of springs at Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY see their last 32°F night by April 18; only one in ten is past it by April 3, and one in ten still has one after May 7. Planting tender crops after April 26 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 30 20%, and after May 7 10%. The 19 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 76% of the 113 Kentucky stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 25 in half of years, as early as October 12 one year in ten, and holds off past November 5 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 23, 14 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 188 days in a typical year, shorter than at 67% of the 113 Kentucky stations; it reaches 209 days one year in ten and falls short of 166 one year in ten. On average 100 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 12 days longer, to about April 30, and return around October 15. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 8 and March 4.

Spring: the chance of another night this cold after the date
Low90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%
36°FApr 14Apr 19Apr 23Apr 26Apr 30May 2May 6May 10May 17
32°FApr 3Apr 8Apr 12Apr 15Apr 18Apr 22Apr 26Apr 30May 7
28°FMar 21Mar 27Mar 31Apr 2Apr 5Apr 9Apr 12Apr 17Apr 23
24°FMar 7Mar 15Mar 19Mar 22Mar 25Mar 28Mar 31Apr 3Apr 10
20°FFeb 22Mar 2Mar 6Mar 11Mar 14Mar 18Mar 21Mar 26Apr 1
16°FFeb 7Feb 16Feb 23Feb 28Mar 4Mar 8Mar 12Mar 17Mar 22
Fall: the chance the first night this cold has come by the date
Low10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FOct 2Oct 7Oct 10Oct 13Oct 15Oct 18Oct 20Oct 23Oct 26
32°FOct 12Oct 17Oct 20Oct 23Oct 25Oct 28Oct 30Nov 1Nov 5
28°FOct 22Oct 27Oct 30Nov 1Nov 3Nov 5Nov 8Nov 11Nov 16
24°FNov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 11Nov 13Nov 16Nov 19Nov 23Nov 30
20°FNov 8Nov 13Nov 17Nov 21Nov 25Nov 30Dec 3Dec 8Dec 16
16°FNov 18Nov 26Nov 30Dec 4Dec 8Dec 13Dec 19Dec 24Dec 31

Freeze probabilities 1991–2020 at Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, 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 41042 →Compare Florence with another place →

Weather by month in Florence

July is the warmest month at Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY, averaging 86°F by day and 66°F at night; January is the coldest at 40°F and 23°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 20% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,814 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 64% of the 113 Kentucky stations. 37% of them (1,393) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 804. Precipitation totals 45.3 inches a year, most in June (4.8") and least in September (3.1"); May to September bring 44% of it.

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. in32°F nightNights ≤ 32°FGDD 50°F
Jan40233.3100%248
Feb44263.2100%2112
Mar54344.2100%1562
Apr66444.593%4200
May75544.720%<1441
Jun83624.80%0670
Jul86663.80%0804
Aug85653.40%0772
Sep79573.10%0544
Oct67463.476%2232
Nov54353.2100%1356
Dec43283.7100%2113

Monthly normals 1991–2020 at Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY (869 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, Cincinnati-Fernbank, OH, 10 miles north of Florence and 369 feet lower, has a last frost 5 days earlier (April 13), a first frost 6 days later (October 31), a season 9 days longer.

Frost dates for 47025 (Lawrenceburg) →

When it snows in Florence, Kentucky

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Florence usually arrives around November 29, and the last of the season around March 21. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY, 4.4 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 28 days after the last snow.

Planting calendar for 41042

What to do and when, from the 50% frost dates for Florence, Kentucky
WhenWhat to do
February 7 – February 21Start peppers and aubergines indoorsThey need eight to ten weeks under lights before they can go out.
February 21 – March 7Start tomatoes indoorsSix to eight weeks gives a transplant big enough to set fruit early.
March 21 – April 4Sow peas, spinach, lettuce, radish outdoorsThese tolerate light frost and prefer to germinate in cool soil.
April 18 onwardTransplant tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, cucumbersThe average last freeze has passed — still watch the actual forecast.
by August 2Sow the autumn crop of carrots, beets and brassicasThey need about twelve weeks to size up before growth stops.
by October 11Harvest tender crops, or be ready to cover themA first freeze two weeks early is well within normal variation.
October 25 onwardPlant 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 41042 is 4 miles from Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY, which stands at 869 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 6 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 41042 in zone 6b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.

Frost dates across Kentucky →

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.

ZIP codes measured at the same station

Other zone 6b places in Kentucky