Possible frost predicted for the northeast early next week

last year

last modified: last year

Following the passage of a strong cold front this weekend here in upstate NY, there's a potential for (light) frost on Monday night with low temps possibly dipping into the 30s depending on the cloud cover and wind conditions.

Our oft-cited "last frost date" around here is tomorrow (5/17), so this is an excellent opportunity to remind people of that date being an average. Given the mild spring we've experienced so far, many of my neighbors have already put out hanging baskets of tender annuals and planted tomatoes and peppers in their veg gardens: I fear some of them may be in for a rude awakening if the forecast holds.

I was hoping this would be just a one-off dip in the temperature, but my own chances for planting anything tender later next week don't look great given that high temps are predicted to barely get into the mid 50's until the following weekend.

Anyone else with a backlog of annuals/tender plants expecting a cold snap next week?

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Comments (7)

porkchop_z5b_MI
last year
Yes, this is a good reminder. People indeed do forget that it's an average. I recall many, many cold, wet Memorial Days. I have a lot of tender stuff to plant and was going to work on it this coming week while I'm on vacation, but I have to keep an eye on the weather report and go from there. I have lot of other stuff to get done out there anyway (weeding, mulching, weeding, weeding, weeding and more weeding...).
41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
last year
"Northeast" is a vast area and includes lots of different climates. Years ago, they used to site, May 15th as the last, local frost date historically. Seems like last frosts are now much earlier here (used be be 6B, now, NJ/Zone 7a/b), like early-mid April now. My lowest from the next arctic incursion will be 50F.
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Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a
last year
No annuals purchased or planted yet but lots of newly planted unestablished perennials which may not appreciate a cold night but wont die. i lived in Concord NH for while and several times it had the honor of being the coldest place in the country. Llate snows right through May and killing frosts Sept 15

Even after 45 years in eastern MA i am skeptical when people welcome spring on May 1

i treat 1st and last frost dates with appropriare skepticism.
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
Last frost date here is traditionally May 31st. We had frost in June not that long ago, so I still take that seriously.

The recommended dates are 90% chance the last frost is past. The average last frost date was several weeks ago, and has never made any sense to me an important fact to a home gardener.
porkchop_z5b_MI
last year
We had a first frost here in mid-September a few years ago. Now that is unusual. I remember because I had to hustle to harvest my butternut.
porkchop_z5b_MI
last year
I just looked at the weather for the upcoming week, and highs will only be in the low 60's with a good portion of the week only in the 50s. Much too cool for warm-season annuals and vegetables. I may plant the annuals that go in the pots on the deck, the soil in the pots will be warmer than the ground, but will hold off on the rest until the weekend, or maybe even after Memorial Day. I learned my lesson years ago planting during cool, wet spring weather = rot.
bitbit 5b
last year
I've been upped to zone 5b but yup, the whole week looks pretty cold, nights in the forties and day time highs in the 50's. Of course I have a load of annuals that I've been hauling outside and back in again but this week they're staying in. Can't wait to get them in their pots. I do see people that planted already-not worth the risk.