Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Gunnison, Colorado

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Cochetopa Creek, 11 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostJun 21
First fall frostSep 5
74 frost-free days
Last spring frostJun 211 year in 10 after Jul 7
First fall frostSep 51 year in 10 by Aug 21
Growing season74 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 5b−15 to −10°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Gunnison in the next 7 nights?

The earliest overnight low at or below 32°F in the available NWS frost forecast is Tonight: 21°F (Thu, Nov 5, 6:00 PM MST to Fri, Nov 6, 6:00 AM MST).

Tonight: forecast low 21°F. Hard freeze.

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

7 of the next 7 nights are forecast at 36°F or colder, cold enough for frost on exposed plants.

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 Gunnison

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is September 16, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Cochetopa Creek. 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 rare in most years rare in most years 44 days
32°F freeze Jun 7 · Jun 21 · Jul 7 Aug 21 · Sep 5 · Sep 16 74 days
28°F hard freeze May 24 · Jun 7 · Jun 22 Sep 4 · Sep 16 · Sep 26 100 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00051713. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Cochetopa Creek

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 Gunnison, CO come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Cochetopa Creek (station USC00051713, elevation 8,006 ft), 11 mi from Gunnison. 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 Gunnison

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Aspen, CO 45 mi Jun 2 Sep 23
Salida, CO 50 mi May 29 Sep 20
Montrose, CO 51 mi Apr 28 Oct 14
Carbondale, CO 61 mi May 13 Oct 3
Delta, CO 65 mi May 1 Oct 7
Glenwood Springs, CO 73 mi May 13 Oct 3
Gypsum, CO 74 mi May 1 Oct 14
Eagle, CO 76 mi May 1 Oct 14
Avon, CO 79 mi Jun 21 Sep 7
Breckenridge, CO 81 mi Jun 21 Sep 7

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Gunnison?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Gunnison is around June 21. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after July 7, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after June 7.

When is the first frost in Gunnison?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around September 5. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by August 21 and a 90% chance by September 16.

What growing zone is Gunnison?

Gunnison is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5b (average annual extreme minimum temperature −15 to −10°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 81230. See growing zones in Colorado.

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