Frost Dates for 68818 — Aurora, Nebraska

Half of springs at Aurora, NE see their last 32°F night by April 21; only one in ten is past it by April 8, and one in ten still has one after May 4. Planting tender crops after April 28 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 30 20%, and after May 4 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 15 in half of years, as early as October 1 one year in ten, and holds off past October 28 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 11 days later, around October 26; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 25, 9 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 176 days in a typical year, longer than at 82% of the 68 Nebraska stations; it reaches 194 days one year in ten and falls short of 156 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 10 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 13.

July is the warmest month at Aurora, NE, averaging 87°F by day and 65°F at night; January is the coldest at 36°F and 15°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from October 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 19% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,417 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 69% of the 68 Nebraska stations. 35% of them (1,209) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 797. Precipitation totals 30.5 inches a year, most in May (5.1") and least in January (0.7"); May to September bring 63% of it.

The nearest other station, Grand Island Airport, NE, 18 miles northwest of Aurora, has a last frost 2 days later (April 23), the same first-frost date, a season 2 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Aurora usually arrives around November 20, and the last of the season around March 24. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Aurora, NE, 1.6 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 68818 is 2 miles from Aurora, NE, which stands at 1,785 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 68818 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.