Frost Dates for 67901 — Liberal, Kansas

Half of springs at Liberal, KS see their last 32°F night by April 20; only one in ten is past it by April 4, and one in ten still has one after May 3. Planting tender crops after April 26 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 30 20%, and after May 3 10%. The 13 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 65% of the 110 Kansas 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 4 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around November 1; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 25, 8 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 186 days in a typical year, shorter than at 55% of the 110 Kansas stations; it reaches 206 days one year in ten and falls short of 168 one year in ten. On average 128 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 10 days longer, to about April 30, and return around October 15. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 25 and March 6.

July is the warmest month at Liberal, KS, averaging 93°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 48°F and 20°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 16% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,109 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 54% of the 110 Kansas stations. 36% of them (1,462) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 904. Precipitation totals 21.1 inches a year, most in June (3.3") and least in February (0.4"); May to September bring 64% of it.

The nearest other station, Hooker, OK, 22 miles southwest of Liberal and 167 feet higher, has a last frost 4 days earlier (April 16), a first frost 1 day later (October 25), a season 6 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Liberal usually arrives around December 4, and the last of the season around March 14. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Liberal, KS, 2.8 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 67901 is 3 miles from Liberal, KS, which stands at 2,834 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 67901 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.