Frost Dates for 60936 — Gibson City, Illinois

Half of springs at Gibson City, IL see their last 32°F night by April 21; only one in ten is past it by April 10, and one in ten still has one after May 5. Planting tender crops after April 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 30 20%, and after May 5 10%. The 14 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 82% of the 158 Illinois stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 17 in half of years, as early as October 5 one year in ten, and holds off past October 29 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around October 28; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 24, 11 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 178 days in a typical year, shorter than at 70% of the 158 Illinois stations; it reaches 195 days one year in ten and falls short of 159 one year in ten. On average 130 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 April 30, and return around October 7. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 29 and March 10.

July is the warmest month at Gibson City, IL, averaging 84°F by day and 64°F at night; January is the coldest at 32°F and 16°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October 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 3,262 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 66% of the 158 Illinois stations. 36% of them (1,171) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 738. Precipitation totals 37.8 inches a year, most in June (4.6") and least in February (1.8"); May to September bring 52% of it.

The nearest other station, Paxton 2 WSW, IL, 12 miles east of Gibson City, has a last frost 2 days later (April 23), a first frost 5 days earlier (October 12), a season 8 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Gibson City usually arrives around December 2, and the last of the season around March 15. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Gibson City, IL, 0.8 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 37 days after the last snow.

ZIP 60936 is under a mile from Gibson City, IL, which stands at 750 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 60936 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.