Greenly Garden

Frost dates and when to plant in Nebraska

United States

In Nebraska the last spring frost comes between 16 April (Omaha) and 19 April (Grand Island) — the median of 2016–2025 in 3 cities. The first autumn frost comes between 26 October (Omaha) and 28 October (Lincoln). The frost-free season lasts 191–195 days. Tomato: plant out into open ground 23 April – 8 July, earliest in Lincoln, latest in Lincoln.

Frost dates by city in Nebraska

CityLast spring frostFirst autumn frostFrost-free daysClimate zoneTomato: window
Lincoln16 April28 October195150–209 frost-free days23 April – 8 July
Omaha16 April26 October193150–209 frost-free days26 April – 6 July
Grand Island19 April27 October191150–209 frost-free days30 April – 7 July

Median of 2016–2025 for the 25 km grid cell of the city: the last day at or below 0 °C in spring and the first in autumn (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo). In a cold year a frost can come a week or two later — Greenly warns 48 hours ahead.

When to plant in Nebraska: windows by crop

The earliest start and the latest end among the cities here, each with its city; every city’s own window is on its page. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.

Weather by month in Nebraska

Across the 3 cities the warmest month is July (average days 30.5 … 31.2 °C) and the coldest January (average nights -8.1 … -7.3 °C). Every city averages below 0 °C at night in December–February.

MonthDay, °CNight, °CRain, mm
January0.8 … 2.1 °C-8.1 … -7.3 °C32
February3.8 … 4.9 °C-7 … -6.3 °C23
March11.8 … 12.9 °C0 … 0.9 °C65
April17.3 … 18.3 °C4.8 … 5.8 °C63
May22.7 … 23.5 °C11.3 … 12.2 °C128
June29.8 … 30.6 °C18.3 … 19 °C93
July30.5 … 31.2 °C20 … 20.8 °C76
August29 … 29.9 °C18.9 … 19.5 °C74
September26.6 … 27.3 °C15.8 … 16.6 °C59
October18.5 … 19.3 °C7.4 … 8.5 °C67
November10.6 … 11.6 °C0.7 … 1.4 °C32
December4.3 … 5.4 °C-4.9 … -4.3 °C32

Day and night: the lowest … highest monthly average among the cities; rain: the middle city (ERA5 via Open-Meteo).

What to plant month by month: the Northeast and Midwest

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