Frost dates 2026–2027

Frost dates for Steelton, Pennsylvania

Median (50% chance) dates of the last and first 32°F frost, from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Harrisburg Cptl Cy Airport, 1.5 mi away (close match).

Last spring frostApr 9
First fall frostNov 1
205 frost-free days
Last spring frostApr 91 year in 10 after Apr 25
First fall frostNov 11 year in 10 by Oct 16
Growing season205 daysbetween median 32°F dates
Hardiness zoneZone 7a0 to 5°F average extreme low

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Will it freeze in Steelton in the next 7 nights?

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

Tonight: forecast low 56°F. Above 36°F.

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

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 Steelton

The median first fall hard-freeze date (28°F) is November 12, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals at Harrisburg Cptl Cy 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 9 · Apr 22 · May 10 Oct 7 · Oct 20 · Nov 3 180 days
32°F freeze Mar 27 · Apr 9 · Apr 25 Oct 16 · Nov 1 · Nov 15 205 days
28°F hard freeze Mar 13 · Mar 29 · Apr 9 Oct 28 · Nov 12 · Dec 1 231 days
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00014751. How to read these probabilities.

Average high temperature by month

1991–2020 normals at Harrisburg Cptl Cy 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 Steelton, PA come from the nearest weather station with freeze statistics in NOAA’s 1991–2020 Climate Normals: Harrisburg Cptl Cy Airport (station USW00014751, elevation 340 ft), 1.5 mi from Steelton. 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 Steelton

CityDistanceLast spring frostFirst fall frost
New Cumberland, PA 3.1 mi Apr 9 Nov 1
Harrisburg, PA 5.0 mi Apr 15 Oct 23
Middletown, PA 5.6 mi Apr 9 Nov 2
Camp Hill, PA 5.6 mi Apr 15 Oct 23
Mechanicsburg, PA 9.3 mi Apr 9 Nov 1
Elizabethtown, PA 13 mi Apr 9 Nov 2
Palmyra, PA 14 mi Apr 20 Oct 25
Mount Joy, PA 19 mi Apr 30 Oct 10
York, PA 19 mi Apr 26 Oct 19
West York, PA 19 mi Apr 26 Oct 19

Frequently asked questions

When is the last frost in Steelton?

On average, the last spring frost (32°F) in Steelton is around April 9. In about 1 year in 10 it comes after April 25, and in 9 years in 10 it comes after March 27.

When is the first frost in Steelton?

The first fall frost (32°F) usually arrives around November 1. There’s a 10% chance of a freeze by October 16 and a 90% chance by November 15.

Can it frost in Steelton 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 April 22.

What growing zone is Steelton?

Steelton 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 17113. See growing zones in Pennsylvania.

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