Spencer, IA (KICD)– It has been a very mild start to Autumn which has held off the area’s first freeze, but how does this compare to other years?

Depending on exactly which recording station is being looked at the average first thirty-two degree freeze in Spencer is between September 27th and 29th, so about two weeks ago according to data pulled by Dennis Todey at the USDA Midwest Climate Hub in Ames.

While most local farmers are not going to complain about having the extra time to get the crops out of the field before that first killing freeze, Todey says this is maybe the one year we could have gotten away with some early cold air.

2021 may end up going down in the record books as having the latest first freeze on record based on numbers from the airport that have October 14th as the latest date to hit thirty-two degree for the first time, but another station in town with a longer recording span has its latest date on the 28th.

Either way, it is looking possible that some frost will cover the ground by Saturday morning meaning those with home gardens or plants still outside may want to consider getting them moved or covered.