Frost dates for Wilkes-Barre Intl Airport, PA
At Wilkes-Barre Intl Airport, the median last spring frost (32°F) is Apr 23 and the median first fall frost is Oct 20, for a typical growing season of 178 days. For a 90% chance that the last frost has passed, wait until May 10. Nearby ZIP codes are in USDA hardiness zones 6a to 7a.
- Apr 23Last spring frost (median)50% chance of 32°F after this date
- May 10Safer planting date10% chance of 32°F after this date
- Oct 20First fall frost (median)50% chance of 32°F by this date
- 178 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 | Apr 21 | May 4 | May 22 |
| 32°F | Apr 9 | Apr 23 | May 10 |
| 28°F | Mar 30 | Apr 10 | Apr 26 |
| 24°F | Mar 17 | Mar 31 | Apr 12 |
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 25 | Oct 7 | Oct 22 |
| 32°F | Oct 4 | Oct 20 | Nov 4 |
| 28°F | Oct 16 | Nov 3 | Nov 19 |
| 24°F | Nov 1 | Nov 16 | Dec 2 |
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 | 132 days | 155 days | 176 days |
| 32°F | 156 days | 178 days | 200 days |
| 28°F | 184 days | 206 days | 226 days |
| 24°F | 211 days | 229 days | 250 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18641 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 0 km |
| 18640 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 4 km |
| 18642 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 5 km |
| 18507 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 5 km |
| 18518 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 5 km |
| 18517 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 7 km |
| 18505 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 9 km |
| 18503 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 10 km |
| 18643 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 10 km |
| 18504 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 10 km |
| 18510 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 11 km |
| 18702 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 12 km |
| 18705 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 12 km |
| 18509 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 13 km |
| 18644 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 13 km |
| 18411 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 14 km |
| 18444 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 15 km |
| 18508 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 15 km |
| 18709 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 15 km |
| 18512 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 15 km |
| 18704 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 15 km |
| 18519 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 16 km |
| 18701 | 7a | 0 to 5°F | 17 km |
| 18615 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 18 km |
| 18708 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 20 km |
| 18452 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 20 km |
| 18434 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 20 km |
| 18612 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 21 km |
| 18651 | 6b | -5 to 0°F | 21 km |
| 18447 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 22 km |
| 18471 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 22 km |
| 18625 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 23 km |
| 18414 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 23 km |
| 18627 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 25 km |
| 18403 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 25 km |
| 18440 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 25 km |
| 18618 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 26 km |
| 18419 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 28 km |
| 18657 | 6a | -10 to -5°F | 29 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 USW00014777, at 41.3336, -75.7269, elevation 284 m (930 ft).
- Data quality: Standard (24+ years of data), 30 years of freeze data.
- Average days per year at or below 32°F: 122.
- Frost risk changes over short distances. Valleys and low spots freeze earlier than hillsides and city centers.
Nearby weather stations
- Francis E Walter Dam (24 km)
- Mount Pocono Mountains Airport (36 km)
- Hawley 1 E (49 km)
- Pleasant Mount 1 W (51 km)
- Benton 3 NE (53 km)
- E Stroudsburg (56 km)
- Lehighton 1ssw (57 km)
- Montrose (59 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.