Skip to content Skip to navigation
UMass Collegiate M The University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give
  • Search UMass.edu
Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment
UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program
  • LNUF Home
  • About
    • Program Overview
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Contact Information
    • Disclaimer
  • Newsletters & Updates
    • Landscape Message
    • Hort Notes
    • Garden Clippings
  • Publications & Resources
    • Fact Sheets
    • Weed Herbarium
    • Professional Disease Guide
    • Professional Insect & Mite Guide
    • Nursery Best Management Practices (BMP) Manual
    • Garden Calendar
    • Useful Links
    • Association Certification
    • Pesticide License Information
    • Pesticide Resources
    • Nutrient Management
  • Services
  • Education & Events
    • Events
    • News
    • Green School
    • Invasive Insect Certification
    • Invasive Plant Certification
    • Turf Winter School
    • InsectXaminer
    • Invasive Insect Webinars
    • TickTalk with TickReport Webinars
    • Pollinator Steward Certification Program
  • Make a Gift

Freeze/Frost Occurrence Tables for Massachusetts

MASSACHUSETTS FREEZE/FROST OCCURRENCE DATA
STATION NAME

 

Temp. Threshold

(Farenheit)

SPRING DATEFALL DATEFREEZE-FREE PERIOD (DAYS)

 

FREEZE/FROST PROBABILITY 4

PROBABILITY LEVEL 1 

 

PROBABILITY LEVEL 2

 

PROBABILITY LEVEL 3

 

90%50%10%10%50%90%10%50%90%

KNIGHTVILLE DAM

 

 

36°May 23Jun 04Jun 16Sep 03Sep13Sep 241161008555%
32°May 05May 19Jun 02Sep 11Sep 23Oct 0514612610648%
28°Apr 21May 05May 19Sep 20Oct 05Oct 2117415313139%

LAWRENCE

 

 

36°Apr 20May 04May 19Sep 24Oct 05Oct 1617215313444%
32°Apr 08Apr 20May 02Oct 08Oct 20Nov 0120018216436%
28°Mar 25Apr 07Apr 19Oct 18Nov 03Nov 1822921019027%

MIDDLETON

 

 

36°Apr 21May 09May 28Sep 12Sep 27Oct 1216814011244%
32°Apr 06Apr 27May 17Sep 25Oct 11Oct 2719516713835%
28°Mar 27Apr 11Apr 27Oct 05Oct 25Nov 1522719616627%

NANTUCKET FAA

 

 

36°Apr 20May 09May 27Oct 01Oct 19Nov 0719316313437%
32°Apr 03Apr 18May 02Oct 16Nov 03Nov 2222619917228%
28°Mar 21Apr 04Apr 18Oct 29Nov 15Dec 0325222519819%

NEW BEDFORD

 

 

36°Apr 04Apr 18May 03Oct 10Oct 25Nov 0821018816733%
32°Mar 23Apr 06Apr 20Oct 22Nov 10Nov 2824321719124%
28°Mar 12Mar 26Apr 08Nov 06Nov 22Dec 0926724121617%

PLYMOUTH

 

 

36°Apr 28May 15Jun 01Sep 22Oct 03Oct 1316314011743%
32°Apr 11May 02May 23Oct 04Oct 16Oct 2719116614135%
28°Mar 30Apr 16May 03Oct 16Nov 02Nov 1822919916926%

ROCHESTER

 

 

36°May 03May 17Jun 01Sep 13Sep 26Oct 0915013111147%
32°Apr 16May 04May 22Sep 24Oct 09Oct 2318315713139%
28°Apr 07Apr 23May 08Oct 09Oct 21Nov 0320118116130%

ROCKPORT 1 ESE

 

 

36°Apr 15Apr 30May 15Oct 03Oct 15Oct 2718516714840%
32°Apr 07Apr 19May 01Oct 14Oct 26Nov 0720718917131%
28°Mar 24Apr 05Apr 17Oct 27Nov 12Nov 2724222019823%

SPRINGFIELD

 

 

36°Apr 22May 07May 23Sep 20Oct 05Oct 2017415012743%
32°Apr 08Apr 19Apr 29Sep 29Oct 15Oct 3119617916135%
28°Mar 25Apr 06Apr 19Oct 11Oct 29Nov 1622720518326%

STOCKBRIDGE

 

 

36°May 22Jun 04Jun 16Aug 28Sep 12Sep 271181008253%
32°May 8May 23Jun 06Sep 10Sep 23Oct 0614412310246%
28°Apr 18May 04May 20Sep 21Oct 06Oct 2217715413137%

TAUNTON

 

 

36°May 10May 24Jun 08Sep 10Sep 21Oct 0313711912048%
32°Apr 27May 11May 26Sep 13Sep 29Oct 1515913912040%
28°Apr 08Apr 23May 08Sep 29Oct 11Oct 2319017015031%

TULLY LAKE

 

 

36°May 16Jun 02Jun 18Aug 29Sep 13Sep 271271027755%
32°May 03May 20Jun 05Sep 09Sept 23Oct 0715012610247%
28°Apr 17May 03May 19Sep 21Oct 08Oct 2418315713138%

WORCESTER WSO

 

 

36°Apr 27May 10May 23Sep 21Oct 03Oct 1616314512746%
32°Apr 14Apr 27May 11Oct 02Oct 17Nov 0119317215139%
28°Apr 07Apr 14Apr 26Oct 11Oct 26Nov 1021319417631%
  1. % Probability of a later date in the spring (through July 31) than the date indicated.  In other words, the percent chance that a temperature at or below the indicated threshold level will occur after the corresponding spring date.
  2. % Probability of an earlier date in the fall (beginning August 31) than the date indicated.  In other words, the percent chance that a temperature at or below the indicated threshold level will occur before the corresponding fall date.
  3. % Probability of a longer than indicated freeze/frost-free period.  In other words, the percent chance that that period of days with temperatures above the indicated threshold level will exceed the corresponding number of days listed in the table.
  4. Probability of a freeze/frost day within the yearly period.  In other words, the average percentage of days in the year with temperatures at or below the corresponding threshold temperature. 

PLEASE NOTE:  This data is intended for use as general guidelines for your location; actual frost dates vary (sometimes considerably) from year to year.  Station temperature readings are commonly made at a height of approximately five feet, and actual ground temperatures can be up to 4° F to 8° F less.  Thus, ground frost can occur even when the measured temperature is 36° F.   Site specifics, radiational cooling, and air drainage, as well as other factors, will all have influence over actual frost dates at your location.

The preceding was excerpted from Koss, W.J. et.al. Climatography of the U.S No. 20, Supplement No. 1: Freeze Frost Data. Published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 1988.

Last Updated: March 3, 2025

Connect with UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program:

Facebook   Twitter

Subscribe to GreenInfo Mailing List »

Home Lawn & Garden Information »

Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

 

Stockbridge Hall,
80 Campus Center Way
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-9246
Phone: (413) 545-4800
Fax: (413) 545-6555
ag [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu (ag[at]cns[dot]umass[dot]edu)

 

Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Information

College of Natural Sciences

Login for faculty and staff

CAFE Units

Mass. Agricultural Experiment Station

UMass Extension

UMass Research and Education Center Farms

UMass Cranberry Station

Water Resources Research Center

Interest Areas

Agriculture

Commercial Horticulture

Energy

Environmental Conservation

Food Science

Nutrition

Water

Youth Development & 4-H

Services

Pesticide Education

Plant Diagnostics Laboratory

Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory

Hot Water Seed Treatment

Water Testing / Environmental Analysis Laboratory

Projects

Conservation Assessment Prioritization System (CAPS)

Extension Risk Management/Crop Insurance Education

Mass. Envirothon

Mass. Herp Atlas

Mass. Keystone

MassWoods

North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative

RiverSmart

UMass Design Center in Springfield

Resources

Extension Sales Portal

Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture Resources

Community & Economic Vitality

Disaster Preparedness

Food Safety

Home Lawn & Garden

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Land Conservation Tools

Pollinators

Tick testing

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Extension Programs

4-H Youth Development

Agriculture

Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine

Fruit

Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture

Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry

Pesticide Education

Turf

Vegetable

Clean Energy

Climate Change

Food Science

Nutrition Education

Value-Added Food

Seal of The University of Massachusetts Amherst - 1863
©2025 University of Massachusetts Amherst · Site Policies · Accessibility