Frost Dates for 68512 — Lincoln, Nebraska

Half of springs at Lincoln Municipal Airport, NE see their last 32°F night by April 24; only one in ten is past it by April 10, and one in ten still has one after May 7. Planting tender crops after April 30 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 3 20%, and after May 7 10%. The 13 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 29% of the 68 Nebraska stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by October 13 in half of years, as early as September 29 one year in ten, and holds off past October 24 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around October 22; 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 171 days in a typical year, longer than at 68% of the 68 Nebraska stations; it reaches 189 days one year in ten and falls short of 151 one year in ten. On average 143 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 2, and return around October 4. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 18 and March 15.

July is the warmest month at Lincoln Municipal Airport, NE, averaging 89°F by day and 67°F at night; January is the coldest at 36°F and 14°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 29% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,726 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 96% of the 68 Nebraska stations. 35% of them (1,322) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 869. Precipitation totals 29.4 inches a year, most in May (4.9") and least in January (0.7"); May to September bring 64% of it.

The nearest other station, Lincoln 8 ENE, NE, 10 miles northeast of Lincoln, has a last frost 3 days later (April 27), a first frost 3 days earlier (October 10), a season 7 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Lincoln usually arrives around November 23, and the last of the season around March 21. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Lincoln Municipal Airport, NE, 7.8 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 34 days after the last snow.

ZIP 68512 is 8 miles from Lincoln Municipal Airport, NE, which stands at 1,190 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 7 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 68521 (Lincoln). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 68512 in zone 6a, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged -10 to -5°F (-23.3 to -20.6°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.