Frost Dates for 62080 — Ramsey, Illinois

Half of springs at Ramsey, IL see their last 32°F night by April 15; only one in ten is past it by April 3, and one in ten still has one after May 1. Planting tender crops after April 21 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 26 20%, and after May 1 10%. The 16 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 22% of the 158 Illinois stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 19 in half of years, as early as October 3 one year in ten, and holds off past October 31 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around October 30; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 18, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 185 days in a typical year, longer than at 50% of the 158 Illinois stations; it reaches 203 days one year in ten and falls short of 163 one year in ten. On average 118 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 April 26, and return around October 9. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between December 3 and March 5.

July is the warmest month at Ramsey, IL, averaging 85°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 35°F and 19°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 12% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,511 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 51% of the 158 Illinois stations. 36% of them (1,278) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 775. Precipitation totals 42.7 inches a year, most in May (4.8") and least in February (2.2"); May to September bring 48% of it.

The nearest other station, Vandalia, IL, 12 miles south of Ramsey, has a last frost 5 days earlier (April 10), a first frost 5 days later (October 24), a season 11 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Ramsey usually arrives around December 4, and the last of the season around March 6. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Ramsey, 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 40 days after the last snow.

ZIP 62080 is under a mile from Ramsey, IL, which stands at 600 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 62080 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.