Frost Dates for 68434 — Seward, Nebraska

Half of springs at Seward, NE see their last 32°F night by April 26; only one in ten is past it by April 11, and one in ten still has one after May 7. Planting tender crops after May 1 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 3 20%, and after May 7 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 12 in half of years, as early as September 28 one year in ten, and holds off past October 24 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 8 days later, around October 20; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 29, 8 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 169 days in a typical year, longer than at 62% of the 68 Nebraska stations; it reaches 187 days one year in ten and falls short of 151 one year in ten. On average 142 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 4, and return around October 3. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 14 and March 18.

July is the warmest month at Seward, NE, averaging 86°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 33°F and 12°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 31% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,295 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 56% of the 68 Nebraska stations. 35% of them (1,147) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 789. Precipitation totals 28.9 inches a year, most in May (4.9") and least in January (0.7"); May to September bring 66% of it.

The nearest other station, Raymond 2E, NE, 19 miles east of Seward and 162 feet lower, has a last frost 4 days earlier (April 22), a first frost 4 days later (October 16), a season 6 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Seward usually arrives around November 15, and the last of the season around March 21. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Seward, NE, 1.3 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 36 days after the last snow.

ZIP 68434 is 1 mile from Seward, NE, which stands at 1,445 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 68434 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.