Frost Dates for 73170 — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Half of springs at Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport, OK see their last 32°F night by April 4; only one in ten is past it by March 16, and one in ten still has one after April 20. Planting tender crops after April 10 leaves a 30% risk of a frost on them, after April 15 20%, and after April 20 10%. The 16 days between the even-odds date and the one-in-ten date is narrower than at 61% of the 114 Oklahoma stations behind this site's ZIP pages.

In fall the first 32°F night comes by November 2 in half of years, as early as October 21 one year in ten, and holds off past November 17 one year in ten. A hard freeze of 28°F follows 9 days later, around November 11; in spring the one-in-ten date for 28°F is April 7, 13 days before the 32°F one. The freeze-free season lasts 213 days in a typical year, longer than at 59% of the 114 Oklahoma stations; it reaches 235 days one year in ten and falls short of 191 one year in ten. On average 72 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 11 days longer, to about April 15, and return around October 26. Severe cold of 16°F or below comes in 99% of winters, usually between December 18 and February 14.

July is the warmest month at Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport, OK, averaging 93°F by day and 70°F at night; January is the coldest at 49°F and 27°F. A freezing night is all but certain in every month from November to March (a 90% chance or more). From May to September the chance of a 32°F night stays under 10% each month. In spring, April still brings one in 59% of years.

Warmth for growing adds up to 4,971 growing degree days a year (base 50°F), fewer than at 75% of the 114 Oklahoma stations. 38% of them (1,871) have built up by the end of June, and July adds the most, 983. Precipitation totals 36.4 inches a year, most in May (5.3") and least in January (1.3"); May to September bring 57% of it.

The nearest other station, Norman 2NW Mesonet, OK, 8 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, has a last frost 4 days earlier (March 31), a first frost 3 days later (November 5), a season 6 days longer.

The first measurable snow (0.1 inch or more) in Oklahoma City usually arrives around December 19, and the last of the season around February 17. Those are the middle dates across the winters of 1991–2020 at Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport, OK, 5 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 46 days after the last snow.

ZIP 73170 is 5 miles from Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport, OK, which stands at 1,285 feet, the nearest NOAA station that publishes freeze probabilities for 1991–2020. 16 other ZIP codes share the station; its figures are presented in full for 73160 (Moore). The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map lists ZIP 73170 in zone 7b, the band where the coldest night of the year averaged 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C) over 1991–2020; a zone describes winter lows, not frost dates.