Frost Dates for 67439 — Ellsworth, Kansas

Half of springs at Ellsworth, KS see their last 32°F night by April 23; 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 28 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 1 20%, and after May 5 10%. The 12 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 89% of the 110 Kansas stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 16 in half of years, as early as September 30 one year in ten, and holds off past October 29 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 10 days later, around October 26; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 27, 8 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 175 days in a typical year, shorter than at 81% of the 110 Kansas stations; it reaches 193 days one year in ten and falls short of 155 one year in ten. On average 137 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 8 days longer, to about May 1, and return around October 7. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 21 and March 11.

July is the warmest month at Ellsworth, KS, averaging 93°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 42°F and 18°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 21% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,097 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 51% of the 110 Kansas stations. 35% of them (1,441) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 931. Precipitation totals 30.8 inches a year, most in May (4.9") and least in January (0.8"); May to September bring 64% of it.

The nearest other station, Smolan 1NE, KS, 30 miles east of Ellsworth and 288 feet lower, has a last frost 4 days later (April 27), the same first-frost date, a season 5 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Ellsworth usually arrives around December 9, and the last of the season around March 2. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Ellsworth, KS, 1 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 52 days after the last snow.

ZIP 67439 is 1 mile from Ellsworth, KS, which stands at 1,568 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 67439 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.