Frost Dates for 68901 — Hastings, Nebraska

Half of springs at Hastings Municipal Airport, NE see their last 32°F night by April 22; only one in ten is past it by April 8, and one in ten still has one after May 5. Planting tender crops after April 28 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 1 20%, and after May 5 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 16 in half of years, as early as October 2 one year in ten, and holds off past October 28 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around October 25; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 26, 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 195 days one year in ten and falls short of 157 one year in ten. On average 139 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 7. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 20 and March 13.

July is the warmest month at Hastings Municipal Airport, NE, averaging 88°F by day and 66°F at night; January is the coldest at 36°F and 16°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 20% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,535 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), more than at 88% of the 68 Nebraska stations. 35% of them (1,233) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 837. Precipitation totals 26.6 inches a year, most in May (4.4") and least in January (0.6"); May to September bring 65% of it.

The nearest other station, Hastings 4N, NE, 4 miles north of Hastings, has a last frost 3 days later (April 25), a first frost 2 days earlier (October 14), a season 5 days shorter.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Hastings usually arrives around November 15, and the last of the season around April 5. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Hastings 4N, NE, 4 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 17 days after the last snow.

ZIP 68901 is 3 miles from Hastings Municipal Airport, NE, which stands at 1,940 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 68901 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.