U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00140365 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Ashland, KS

NOAA weather station Ashland (USC00140365), Kansas · elevation 1970 ft (601 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1750% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season178 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Ashland, KSSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 17 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 178 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 17Frost season at Ashland, KSSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 1 in 1 year out of 10, before October 17 in half of the years, before October 29 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 178 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 17
frost likely chance fading 90% → 10% frost-free in a typical yearThe year at a glance. Blue: frost is likely; the gradient fades as the chance drops from 90% to 10%; green: the frost-free part of a typical year.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 4October 1
50% (typical)April 21October 17
90% (likely)April 7October 29
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
178 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 27

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 24 (3 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 20 (3 days later). Frost-free season 178 days.

A shorter, more recent NOAA period. The 30-year normals above remain the main reference: 15 years carry more year-to-year noise.

Add these dates to your calendar Yearly reminders for the typical last frost, the lower-risk planting date and the typical first fall frost (.ics).

How the chance of frost changes with the date

Spring at Ashland: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 4, 20% April 30, 30% April 27, 40% April 24, 50% April 21, 60% April 19, 70% April 15, 80% April 12, 90% April 7. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2022 April 26, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 15, 2026 April 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 4Apr 21Apr 72022: April 262023: April 242024: April 222025: April 152026: April 20Fall at Ashland: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 1, 20% October 7, 30% October 11, 40% October 14, 50% October 17, 60% October 20, 70% October 22, 80% October 25, 90% October 29. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 October 18, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 22.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 1Oct 17Oct 292022: October 182023: October 72024: October 162025: October 22
Two charts, because spring and fall answer different questions: in spring, the chance that a frost still comes after a date; in fall, the chance that the first frost has already come before it. NOAA publishes these odds from 10% to 90%, so the lines stop there. ◆ marks the actual date in each recent year.

What actually happened in recent years

Observed dates of the last spring and first fall frost (32°F) at this station; ◆ marks them on the charts above
YearLast spring frostFirst fall frost
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022April 26October 18
2023April 24October 7
2024April 22October 16
2025April 15October 22
2026April 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 4 is the cautious spring light-frost date for Ashland; with only a ten-percent chance of a frost later, it gives a gardener a reliable point to set out tender crops. The 50% date in spring is April 21, indicating a fifty-percent chance of a light frost later than this date, while the 50% date in fall is October 17, indicating a fifty-percent chance of a light frost earlier than this date. In the autumn the cautious light-frost date is October 1, where only a ten-percent chance exists that a frost has arrived earlier, allowing a gardener to finish harvesting tender crops.

Hard frost is recorded at 28 °F, and its impact on plants is more severe than a light frost at 32 °F; the median hard-frost dates of April 10 and October 27 provide the reference points for that greater risk.

How to read the probabilities

The dates are probabilities from 30 years of weather, not a forecast for this year.

  • Spring: "10% after May 4" means that in about one spring out of ten a frost still happens after that date. The 90% date is the earliest: a frost after it happens in most years.
  • Fall: "10% before October 1" means that in about one fall out of ten the first frost arrives before that date.
  • 50% is the typical date: half of the years are earlier, half are later.
  • A light frost (32°F) damages tender plants; a hard frost (28°F) also stops most hardy vegetables.

Nearby weather stations

Map of weather stations near Ashland, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Coldwater, KS — 25 mi; 2 — Gate, OK — 29 mi; 3 — Dodge City, KS — 41 mi; 4 — Cimarron, KS — 53 mi; 5 — Gage, OK — 62 mi.KSOK50 mi · 80 km1. Coldwater, KS — 25 mi12. Gate, OK — 29 mi23. Dodge City, KS — 41 mi34. Cimarron, KS — 53 mi45. Gage, OK — 62 mi5
  1. Coldwater, KS 25 mi (39 km)
  2. Gate, OK 29 mi (46 km)
  3. Dodge City, KS 41 mi (66 km)
  4. Cimarron, KS 53 mi (86 km)
  5. Gage, OK 62 mi (100 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 6b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 37.1942, -99.7633.