Frost Dates for 43130 — Lancaster, Ohio

Half of springs at Lancaster, OH see their last 32°F night by April 22; only one in ten is past it by April 7, and one in ten still has one after May 9. Planting tender crops after April 30 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 3 20%, and after May 9 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 24% of the 148 Ohio stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 24 in half of years, as early as October 8 one year in ten, and holds off past November 6 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around November 3; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 27, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 183 days in a typical year, longer than at 59% of the 148 Ohio stations; it reaches 204 days one year in ten and falls short of 161 one year in ten. On average 114 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 9 days longer, to about May 1, and return around October 12. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 11 and March 5.

July is the warmest month at Lancaster, OH, averaging 85°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 38°F and 22°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 27% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,518 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 79% of the 148 Ohio stations. 37% of them (1,286) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 770. Precipitation totals 40.3 inches a year, most in May (4.2") and least in February (2.3"); May to September bring 47% of it.

The nearest other station, Lancaster Fairfield Airport, OH, 4 miles northwest of Lancaster, has a last frost 4 days later (April 26), a first frost 11 days earlier (October 13), a season 14 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Lancaster usually arrives around December 14, and the last of the season around March 10. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Buckeye Lake 1 N, OH, 17.9 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 43 days after the last snow.

ZIP 43130 is under a mile from Lancaster, OH, which stands at 827 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 2 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 43130 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.