New Bedford, MA 02575 Frost Dates
When can you plant in New Bedford, MA?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 05/07, roughly 252 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/09, about 156 frost-free days later.
New Bedford sits in USDA Zone 7a (0 to 5°F average annual minimum). The dates above are NOAA's 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting station, a 30-year average, not a forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 6 weeks of growing season left in New Bedford before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
How much risk comes with planting early here
05/07 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/22 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/27 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How New Bedford compares
New Bedford's growing season runs about 156 days, ranking 33,499 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within MA, it ranks 602 of 712.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around New Bedford's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in New Bedford can differ from the 02575 normal.