Frost Dates
Frost Dates · Oregon

Frost dates for Portland, Oregon

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

Typical last spring freeze (32°F)
February 25
median date, 1991–2020
Typical first fall freeze (32°F)
December 1
median date, 1991–2020
Typical frost-free season
279 days
between the median dates

In a typical year, the last spring freeze around Portland comes near February 25 and the first fall freeze near December 1. One year in ten, a freeze still arrives after March 21 in spring — and one year in ten, the first fall freeze has already landed by November 10. NCEI's own growing-season statistic (days between freezes, percentiled per year) puts the median at 280 days.

JFMAMJJASONDFebruary 25December 1
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 Portland Kgw-Tv, OR (USC00356749), 2.3 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 159 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 7March 29April 21October 28November 12December 1
32°F — freezingJanuary 24February 25March 21November 10December 1December 27
28°F — hard freezeDecember 21January 31February 26November 25December 20January 30

Measured at Portland Kgw-Tv, OR (USC00356749), 2.3 mi from the city's census reference point, elev. 159 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)March 21November 10234 days
Typical (median freeze dates)February 25December 1279 days
Gambler's (9-in-10 freeze risk at each end)January 24December 27337 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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