Fall Frost/Freeze

...FALL FREEZE CLIMATOLOGY...

When does the first freeze of the fall season normally occur?

A temperature of 32 degrees fahrenheit has officially been recorded
as early as September 28th at Cincinnati, and September 21st in
Columbus and Dayton. The first occurrence of 32 degrees fahrenheit
has happened as late as November 27th at Cincinnati and
Columbus, and November 25th at Dayton.

Elements such as topography, urban and rural setting and the
placement of the recording instrument can create wide variations in
temperatures across an area.

National Weather Service temperatures are officially taken at an
elevation of five feet above the ground, but the temperature at
ground level may be colder. On typical fall nights when frost
occurs, the temperature at the five foot level may read 36 degrees
while at the ground level it is actually the 32 degrees needed to
form frost.

The following reference table will give an idea as to when the first
freezing temperatures might occur, based on the latest 30 years of
climatological data available at each of the listed locations (1991-
2020).

An updated graphical presentation of the current status of the NWS
Wilmington frost/freeze program will be available on our website at
www.weather.gov/iln/.


Location          Normal First      First 32F in one  First 32F in nine
                  32F in Fall       year out of ten   years out of ten
                                   (10% probability) (90% likelihood)

..Southwest Ohio

Cincinnati (KLUK)   Oct 25            Oct 12            Nov 5
Dayton (KDAY)       Oct 25            Oct 13            Nov 7
Milford             Oct 18            Oct 6             Oct 28
Wilmington          Oct 22            Oct 9             Nov 3
Xenia               Oct 24            Oct 11            Nov 5

..Central Ohio

Circleville         Oct 28            Oct 14            Nov 9
Columbus (KCMH)     Oct 27            Oct 14            Nov 7
Newark              Oct 18            Oct 5             Nov 1
Washington C.H.     Oct 21            Oct 8             Oct 31

..West Central Ohio

Bellefontaine       Oct 20            Oct 7             Oct 31
Greenville          Oct 20            Oct 6             Nov 1
Kenton              Oct 24            Oct 9             Nov 6
Springfield         Oct 19            Oct 4             Nov 1

..South Central Ohio

Portsmouth          Oct 25            Oct 11            Nov 6

..Kentucky

Covington (KCVG)    Oct 25            Oct 12            Nov 5
Maysville           Oct 30            Oct 17            Nov 11
Warsaw              Oct 21            Oct 7             Oct 31
Williamstown        Oct 29            Oct 14            Nov 11

..Indiana

Richmond            Oct 20            Oct 7             Nov 1
Vevay               Nov 1             Oct 20            Nov 14