New Paltz, NY 12493 Frost Dates
When can you plant in New Paltz, NY?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/21, about 236 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/21, about 183 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts New Paltz in Zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 8 weeks of growing season left in New Paltz 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
04/21 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/06 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/04 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How New Paltz compares
New Paltz's growing season runs about 183 days, ranking 23,816 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within NY, it ranks 495 of 1,951.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6a and New Paltz's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around New Paltz's dates instead of trusting one.