Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Lititz, Pennsylvania

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Lancaster Airport, 2.4 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 18
First fall frostOct 25
186 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 181 year in 10 after May 5
First fall frostOct 251 year in 10 by Oct 10
Growing season186 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 7a0 to 5°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Lititz in the next 7 nights?

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

Tonight: forecast low 58°F. Above 36°F.

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

1 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 Lititz

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 5, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Lancaster Airport. 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 18 · May 1 · May 16 Oct 2 · Oct 14 · Oct 27 165 days
32°F freeze Apr 4 · Apr 18 · May 5 Oct 10 · Oct 25 · Nov 6 186 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 21 · Apr 4 · Apr 18 Oct 23 · Nov 5 · Nov 20 214 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00054737. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Lancaster Airport

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 Lititz, PA come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Lancaster Airport (station USW00054737, elevation 403 ft), 2.4 mi from Lititz. 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 Lititz

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Ephrata, PA 6.8 mi Apr 18 Oct 25
Lancaster, PA 7.5 mi Apr 19 Oct 24
Millersville, PA 11 mi Apr 19 Oct 24
Mount Joy, PA 11 mi Apr 30 Oct 10
New Holland, PA 12 mi Apr 14 Nov 1
Columbia, PA 13 mi Apr 30 Oct 10
Lebanon, PA 14 mi Apr 20 Oct 25
Elizabethtown, PA 16 mi Apr 9 Nov 2
Palmyra, PA 19 mi Apr 20 Oct 25
Shillington, PA 21 mi Apr 14 Oct 29

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Lititz?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Lititz is around April 18. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after May 5, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after April 4.

When is the first frost in Lititz?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around October 25. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 10 and a 90% chance by November 6.

Can it frost in Lititz 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 1.

What growing zone is Lititz?

Lititz is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a (average annual extreme minimum temperature 0 to 5°F), based on the 2023 USDA map for ZIP code 17543. See growing zones in Pennsylvania.

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