Frost Dates for 68017 — Ceresco, Nebraska

Half of springs at Raymond 2E, NE see their last 32°F night by April 22; only one in ten is past it by April 9, and one in ten still has one after May 3. Planting tender crops after April 27 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 30 20%, and after May 3 10%. The 11 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 84% of the 68 Nebraska 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 29 one year in ten, and holds off past October 26 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around October 24; 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 175 days in a typical year, longer than at 79% of the 68 Nebraska stations; it reaches 194 days one year in ten and falls short of 156 one year in ten. On average 146 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 May 1, and return around October 6. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 20 and March 15.

July is the warmest month at Raymond 2E, NE, averaging 86°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 33°F and 13°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 19% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,300 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 57% of the 68 Nebraska stations. 34% of them (1,133) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 792. Precipitation totals 31.0 inches a year, most in May (5.2") and least in January (0.8"); May to September bring 65% of it.

The nearest other station, Wahoo, NE, 11 miles north of Ceresco, has a last frost 1 day later (April 23), a first frost 1 day earlier (October 15), a season 3 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Ceresco usually arrives around November 11, and the last of the season around March 25. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Raymond 2E, NE, 9.1 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 28 days after the last snow.

ZIP 68017 is 9 miles from Raymond 2E, NE, which stands at 1,283 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 68017 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.