Frost Dates for 68949 — Holdrege, Nebraska

Half of springs at Holdrege, NE see their last 32°F night by May 2; only one in ten is past it by April 17, and one in ten still has one after May 15. Planting tender crops after May 7 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after May 10 20%, and after May 15 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 11 in half of years, as early as September 28 one year in ten, and holds off past October 22 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around October 20; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is May 5, 10 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 162 days in a typical year, shorter than at 59% of the 68 Nebraska stations; it reaches 182 days one year in ten and falls short of 142 one year in ten. On average 154 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 7 days longer, to about May 9, and return around October 1. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes every winter, usually between November 13 and March 20.

July is the warmest month at Holdrege, NE, averaging 87°F by day and 62°F at night; January is the coldest at 37°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 55% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 3,130 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 66% of the 68 Nebraska stations. 33% of them (1,044) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 770. Precipitation totals 27.5 inches a year, most in May (4.4") and least in January (0.6"); May to September bring 66% of it.

The nearest other station, Minden, NE, 23 miles east of Holdrege and 160 feet lower, has a last frost 6 days earlier (April 26), a first frost 1 day later (October 12), a season 6 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Holdrege usually arrives around November 21, and the last of the season around April 2. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Holdrege, NE, 1.2 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 30 days after the last snow.

ZIP 68949 is 1 mile from Holdrege, NE, which stands at 2,320 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 68949 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.