Frost dates for Vail, CO
At Vail, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Jun 21 and the median first fall frost is Sep 7, for a typical growing season of 77 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until Jul 9. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 5a to 6a.
- Jun 21Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- Jul 9Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Sep 7First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 77 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | Jun 8 | Jun 21 | Jul 9 |
| 28°F | May 16 | May 31 | Jun 18 |
| 24°F | Apr 27 | May 10 | May 25 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | Aug 26 | Sep 7 | Sep 20 |
| 28°F | Sep 7 | Sep 21 | Oct 2 |
| 24°F | Sep 20 | Oct 3 | Oct 15 |
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 | 23 days | 40 days | 62 days |
| 32°F | 53 days | 77 days | 95 days |
| 28°F | 86 days | 109 days | 132 days |
| 24°F | 123 days | 143 days | 162 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81657 | 5b | -15 to -10°F | 3 km |
| 81620 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 13 km |
| 80498 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 14 km |
| 81632 | 5b | -15 to -10°F | 22 km |
| 81645 | 5a | -20 to -15°F | 22 km |
| 81655 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 31 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 USC00058575, at 39.6394, -106.3539, elevation 2531 m (8,304 ft).
- Data quality: Representative (10+ years), 24 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 248.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Green Mount Dam (27 km)
- Dillon 1 E (27 km)
- Climax (33 km)
- Sugarloaf Rsvr (43 km)
- Meredith (45 km)
- Leadville Lake Co Airport (46 km)
- Williams Fork Dam (46 km)
- Kremmling (47 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.