Frost Dates for 53095 — West Bend, Wisconsin

Half of springs at W Bend Public Works, WI see their last 32°F night by May 1; only one in ten is past it by April 19, and one in ten still has one after May 18. Planting tender crops after May 7 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 12 20%, and after May 18 10%. The 17 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is wider than at 90% of the 182 Wisconsin stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 12 in half of years, as early as September 28 one year in ten, and holds off past October 26 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 12 days later, around October 24; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 6, 12 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 161 days in a typical year, longer than at 62% of the 182 Wisconsin stations; it reaches 180 days one year in ten and falls short of 142 one year in ten. On average 154 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 11 days longer, to about May 12, and return around October 1. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 23 and March 23.

July is the warmest month at W Bend Public Works, WI, averaging 82°F by day and 60°F at night; January is the coldest at 27°F and 11°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 52% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 2,475 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 54% of the 182 Wisconsin stations. 31% of them (761) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 648.

The nearest other station, Jackson, WI, 6 miles south of West Bend, has a last frost 1 day earlier (April 30), a first frost 3 days later (October 15), a season 6 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in West Bend usually arrives around November 24, and the last of the season around March 24. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at W Bend Fire Stn #2, WI, 2.2 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 38 days after the last snow.

ZIP 53095 is under a mile from W Bend Public Works, WI, which stands at 980 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 4 other ZIP codes share the station. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 53095 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.