Frost dates for Rifle Garfield Co Airport, CO
At Rifle Garfield Co Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is May 11 and the median first fall frost is Oct 4, for a typical growing season of 143 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 27. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zone 6a.
- May 11Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 27Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 4First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 143 daysGrowing season (median)between 32°F freezes
Last spring frost dates
The chance that the temperature drops to the threshold after each date.
| Temperature | 90% chance later | 50% chance later | 10% chance later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 12 | May 26 | Jun 8 |
| 32°F | Apr 28 | May 11 | May 27 |
| 28°F | Apr 14 | Apr 28 | May 11 |
| 24°F | Mar 29 | Apr 13 | Apr 29 |
First fall frost dates
The chance that the temperature has dropped to the threshold by each date.
| Temperature | 10% chance by | 50% chance by | 90% chance by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Sep 12 | Sep 25 | Oct 6 |
| 32°F | Sep 23 | Oct 4 | Oct 17 |
| 28°F | Sep 30 | Oct 15 | Oct 27 |
| 24°F | Oct 10 | Oct 24 | Nov 8 |
Growing season length
Days between the last spring and first fall freeze, as the length reached in 9, 5 and 1 out of 10 years.
| Temperature | 9 in 10 years at least | 5 in 10 years at least | 1 in 10 years at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 100 days | 119 days | 136 days |
| 32°F | 124 days | 143 days | 162 days |
| 28°F | 149 days | 167 days | 187 days |
| 24°F | 175 days | 194 days | 215 days |
Chance of a freeze in any year
| Temperature | Chance per year |
|---|---|
| 36°F | 100% |
| 32°F | 100% |
| 28°F | 100% |
| 24°F | 100% |
ZIP codes whose closest station is this one
| ZIP | Hardiness zone | Avg. extreme low | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81652 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 8 km |
Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones shown here are the values published in the USDA-ARS / Oregon State University PRISM Group 2023 ZIP code tables, shown unaltered. For the official interactive map, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
About this station
- NOAA station ID USW00003016, at 39.5264, -107.7264, elevation 1686 m (5,530 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 23 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 173.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Rifle 3ene (3 km)
- Glenwood Springs #2 (35 km)
- Collbran 1wsw (39 km)
- Shoshone (43 km)
- Bonham Rsvr (49 km)
- Altenbern (56 km)
- Meeker (59 km)
- Meeker Airport (60 km)
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal normals by station (version 1.0.1), file dated June 27, 2023; documentation.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code tables (CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico), files dated November 17, 2023. Data © PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 1, 2026. Official map: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas file, dated August 30, 2024 (ZIP centroids used to find the nearest station).
Freeze dates are 30-year probabilities, not forecasts. Check your local forecast before planting tender plants.