Frost Dates
Frost Dates · California

Frost dates for Palmdale, California

California · first & last freeze, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals

Typical last spring freeze (32°F)
March 10
median date, 1991–2020
Typical first fall freeze (32°F)
November 19
median date, 1991–2020
Typical frost-free season
254 days
between the median dates

In a typical year, the last spring freeze around Palmdale comes near March 10 and the first fall freeze near November 19. One year in ten, a freeze still arrives after April 11 in spring — and one year in ten, the first fall freeze has already landed by November 3. NCEI's own growing-season statistic (days between freezes, percentiled per year) puts the median at 248 days.

JFMAMJJASONDMarch 10November 19
The year at a glance: blue bands span the 9-in-10 to 1-in-10 range where the last spring / first fall 32°F freeze lands; the green band is the typical frost-free window between the median dates. Measured at Palmdale, CA (USC00046624), 0.7 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 2,612 ft. NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 normals.

Freeze-date probabilities, three thresholds

ThresholdLast spring — 9 in 10 years past byLast spring — typical (median)Last spring — 1 in 10 years later thanFirst fall — 1 in 10 years byFirst fall — typical (median)First fall — 9 in 10 years by
36°F — near-freezing (frost can occur)March 11April 5April 26October 24November 7November 21
32°F — freezingFebruary 12March 10April 11November 3November 19December 4
28°F — hard freezeJanuary 14February 13March 17November 15December 1December 23

Measured at Palmdale, CA (USC00046624), 0.7 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 2,612 ft. NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 normals. Read each date column as odds over the 30-year record — e.g. "9 in 10 years past by" means only one spring in ten saw a later freeze than that date.

Frost-free windows (computed)

Window (32°F ends)OpensClosesLength
Cautious (1-in-10 freeze risk at each end)April 11November 3206 days
Typical (median freeze dates)March 10November 19254 days
Gambler's (9-in-10 freeze risk at each end)February 12December 4295 days

Pure arithmetic on the freeze-date percentiles above — the "cautious" window opens on the date only 1 year in 10 still sees a later spring freeze, and closes on the date by which only 1 year in 10 has already frozen.

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