Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Payson, Arizona

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Payson, 1.7 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 29
First fall frostOct 24
176 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 291 year in 10 after May 20
First fall frostOct 241 year in 10 by Oct 11
Growing season176 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 8b15 to 20°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Payson in the next 7 nights?

No overnight lows at or below 32°F are forecast in Payson during the next 7 nights in the available NWS frost forecast.

Tonight: forecast low 38°F. Above 36°F.

NWS forecast period: Thu, Nov 5, 6:00 PM MST to Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 AM MST.

No nights at or below 36°F in the National Weather Service forecast for the next 7 nights.

Overnight lows from the National Weather Service forecast for this location. This covers the available forecast window, not the first freeze of the whole season. Frost can form above 32°F on clear, calm nights.

Frost and freeze probabilities

Freeze dates shift from year to year. Spring percentages describe the chance of a freeze after the stated date; fall percentages describe the chance of a freeze by that date. The 10% spring date is the cautious one: a later freeze happens about 1 year in 10.

These dates describe historical probabilities, not this year’s forecast or the earliest and latest possible freezes. Different weather stations or probability thresholds can produce different published dates for the same city.

Average first hard freeze in Payson

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 6, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Payson. This is the 50% probability date, not a forecast for this year.

TemperatureLast spring date
90% · 50% · 10% chance of a later freeze
First fall date
10% · 50% · 90% chance of an earlier freeze
Season
36°F frost possible Apr 29 · May 15 · Jun 4 Oct 1 · Oct 14 · Oct 27 150 days
32°F freeze Apr 13 · Apr 29 · May 20 Oct 11 · Oct 24 · Nov 8 176 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 20 · Apr 10 · May 1 Oct 21 · Nov 6 · Nov 21 208 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00093139. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Payson

Average low temperature by month

Months with lows near or below freezing carry frost risk

Where these frost dates come from

The frost dates for Payson, AZ come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Payson (station USW00093139, elevation 4,850 ft), 1.7 mi from Payson. Local conditions (valleys, hilltops, distance to water, city heat) can shift frost dates by days or weeks. The hardiness zone is from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA ARS and Oregon State University PRISM). See our methodology.

Frost dates near Payson

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Camp Verde, AZ 38 mi Apr 16 Oct 30
Cave Creek, AZ 47 mi Feb 4 Dec 16
Scottsdale, AZ 50 mi Jan 27 Dec 21
Fountain Hills, AZ 50 mi Jan 6 Dec 28
Sedona, AZ 50 mi Apr 1 Nov 17
Cottonwood, AZ 52 mi Mar 30 Nov 10
Paradise Valley, AZ 60 mi Jan 6 Dec 26
Apache Junction, AZ 61 mi Feb 11 Dec 10
Prescott Valley, AZ 62 mi Apr 30 Oct 20
Mesa, AZ 63 mi Feb 1 Dec 10

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Payson?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Payson is around April 29. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after May 20, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after April 13.

When is the first frost in Payson?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 24. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 11 and a 90% chance by November 8.

Can it frost in Payson after the last frost date?

Yes. Frost can form on clear, calm nights even when the air stays above 32°F. Temperatures of 36°F or lower, cold enough for frost on exposed plants, have a 50% chance of occurring after May 15.

What growing zone is Payson?

Payson is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b (average annual extreme minimum temperature 15 to 20°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 85541. See growing zones in Arizona.

More: all Arizona frost dates · Arizona growing zones · frost vs. freeze