National Weather ServiceFreeze WarningVTEC FZ.W, HZ.WArchive to October 1, 2026
Freeze Warning: what it means and how often it is issued
The National Weather Service issued 477 freeze warnings in 2025 and 611 a year on average in 2008-2025; California, Texas and Georgia got the most in 2021-2025. 2026 through September: 409, 23% above the average of 332 for those months in 2008-2025.
What is a freeze warning?
A freeze warning means temperatures at or below 32°F are expected during the growing season, enough to kill crops and sensitive plants. Since 2024-2025 it also covers the colder nights that had a hard freeze warning of their own. A warning means the hazard is happening, about to happen, or very likely: act now to protect people and property. AreaZine's counts include the hard freeze warnings issued before the change.
Source: National Weather Service directives and glossary.
How many freeze warnings a year?
National count: each freeze warning counted once, whatever the number of states it covers. 2026 is an outline: the year is not over.
The numbers
| Year | Count |
|---|---|
| 2026 (through September) | 410 |
| 2025 | 477 |
| 2024 | 500 |
| 2023 | 633 |
| 2022 | 725 |
| 2021 | 575 |
| 2020 | 649 |
| 2019 | 494 |
| 2018 | 677 |
| 2017 | 536 |
| 2016 | 524 |
| 2015 | 508 |
| 2014 | 643 |
| 2013 | 709 |
| 2012 | 798 |
| 2011 | 576 |
| 2010 | 827 |
| 2009 | 619 |
| 2008 | 525 |
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 1, 2026.
When in the year?
Sum of 2008-2025; the busiest month is labelled.
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 1, 2026.
Which states get the most freeze warnings?
Yearly average per state, 2021-2025. A freeze warning covering two states counts in both.
| State | A year, 2021-2025 | A year, 2008-2025 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 74 | 63 | 47 |
| Texas | 61 | 63 | 52 |
| Georgia | 43 | 46 | 51 |
| Florida | 36 | 58 | 54 |
| North Carolina | 31 | 32 | 15 |
| Virginia | 27 | 25 | 16 |
| Oregon | 26 | 31 | 27 |
| Louisiana | 26 | 31 | 13 |
| Kansas | 25 | 24 | 21 |
| Alabama | 25 | 29 | 20 |
| Arizona | 25 | 21 | 23 |
| Colorado | 24 | 26 | 26 |
| Arkansas | 24 | 25 | 11 |
| West Virginia | 24 | 21 | 15 |
| Missouri | 23 | 22 | 11 |
| Mississippi | 22 | 24 | 7 |
| Illinois | 22 | 18 | 11 |
| Ohio | 22 | 21 | 18 |
| Indiana | 21 | 21 | 17 |
| Kentucky | 20 | 21 | 17 |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | 21 | 13 |
| Oklahoma | 19 | 24 | 13 |
| Tennessee | 19 | 20 | 0 |
| Iowa | 16 | 13 | 7 |
| New York | 16 | 23 | 25 |
| Michigan | 16 | 18 | 7 |
| Nebraska | 15 | 14 | 11 |
| Utah | 15 | 13 | 15 |
| South Carolina | 14 | 16 | 6 |
| New Mexico | 14 | 15 | 14 |
| Wisconsin | 14 | 14 | 9 |
| Minnesota | 12 | 13 | 7 |
| Maryland | 10 | 12 | 9 |
| New Jersey | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| Washington | 9 | 10 | 5 |
| Idaho | 8 | 11 | 5 |
| North Dakota | 7 | 7 | 12 |
| Wyoming | 7 | 6 | 11 |
| South Dakota | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Nevada | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| Connecticut | 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Maine | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Vermont | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Delaware | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Montana | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Alaska | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Source: Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of National Weather Service watches, warnings and advisories (VTEC); National Weather Service. Data as of October 1, 2026.
The latest freeze warnings in AreaZine's record
NWS DuluthWarningSeptember 30, 2026
Freeze Warning: Koochiching, North St. Louis and Central St. Louis, MN
In force until 9:00 a.m. CDT, October 2, 2026
NWS MarquetteWarningSeptember 21, 2026
Freeze Warning: Baraga, Iron and Southern Houghton, MI
Expired 9:00 a.m. EDT, September 22, 2026
NWS RivertonWarningSeptember 14, 2026
Freeze Warning: Star Valley, WY
Expired 9:00 a.m. MDT, September 15, 2026
NWS RivertonWarningSeptember 13, 2026
Freeze Warning: Star Valley, WY
Expired 9:00 a.m. MDT, September 14, 2026
NWS RivertonWarningSeptember 8, 2026
Freeze Warning: Jackson Hole, Star Valley, Upper Green River Basin Foothills and 2 more, WY
Expired 9:00 a.m. MDT, September 9, 2026
NWS MedfordWarningSeptember 6, 2026
Freeze Warning: South Central Siskiyou County, Northeast Siskiyou and Northwest Modoc Counties, Modoc County and 3 more, CA and OR
Expired 9:00 a.m. PDT, September 7, 2026
NWS PendletonWarningAugust 29, 2026
Freeze Warning: Wallowa County, OR
Expired 9:00 a.m. PDT, August 30, 2026
NWS ElkoWarningJune 28, 2026
Freeze Warning: Northern Elko County, White Pine County, Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County and 2 more, NV
Expired 8:00 a.m. PDT, June 29, 2026
This list is AreaZine's record of the NWS alert feed, kept since April 6, 2026; the counts above come from the complete IEM archive.
Source: National Weather Service alerts (api.weather.gov).
Freeze Warning or freeze watch?
A freeze watch (for a wide area, hours or days ahead) means the conditions are possible: be ready; a freeze warning (from the local NWS office, for the area at risk) means the hazard is happening or imminent: act now. A freeze watch means temperatures at or below 32°F are possible during the growing season. A watch means the conditions for the hazard are possible or favourable, but it is not yet happening: be ready to act if a warning follows. The NWS issued 265 freeze watches in 2025, against 477 freeze warnings. The freeze watch record.