U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00330862 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Bowling Green, OH

NOAA weather station Bowling Green WWTP (USC00330862), Ohio · elevation 675 ft (206 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 7only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2550% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season186 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Bowling Green, OHSpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 8 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 25Frost season at Bowling Green, OHSpring: a frost after April 8 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 7 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 12 in 1 year out of 10, before October 25 in half of the years, before November 8 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 186 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 25
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.Today

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 7October 12
50% (typical)April 22October 25
90% (likely)April 8November 8
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
186 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 11
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 5

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 21 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 26 (1 day later). Frost-free season 188 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 Bowling Green: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 7, 20% May 2, 30% April 29, 40% April 25, 50% April 22, 60% April 19, 70% April 17, 80% April 13, 90% April 8. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 1, 2022 April 28, 2023 April 27, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 17, 2026 April 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 7Apr 22Apr 82021: May 12022: April 282023: April 272024: April 252025: April 172026: April 20Fall at Bowling Green: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 12, 20% October 17, 30% October 20, 40% October 23, 50% October 25, 60% October 28, 70% October 31, 80% November 3, 90% November 8. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 29, 2023 October 30, 2024 October 27, 2025 October 25.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 12Oct 25Nov 82021: November 32022: October 292023: October 302024: October 272025: October 25
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
2021May 1November 3
2022April 28October 29
2023April 27October 30
2024April 25October 27
2025April 17October 25
2026April 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 7 is the cautious spring date for light frost in Bowling Green, carrying only a 10 % chance that a frost occurs later; it lets a gardener set out tender crops with minimal risk. The 50 % date is April 22, when there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later. The median hard-frost date in spring is April 11, marking the point at which an even chance of a 28 °F frost exists.

October 12 is the cautious fall date, with a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, so it marks the latest reasonable time to finish harvesting tender crops. The 50 % fall light-frost date is October 25, when a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier is present. The median hard-frost date in fall is November 5, indicating an even chance of a 28 °F frost. A hard frost matters more than a light frost because the lower temperature can damage plant tissue that survives 32 °F conditions.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 7" 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 12" 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 Bowling Green, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Toledo, OH — 17 mi; 2 — Findlay WPCC, OH — 23 mi; 3 — Findlay, OH — 26 mi; 4 — Wauseon, OH — 29 mi; 5 — Pandora, OH — 35 mi.INMI25 mi · 40 km1. near Toledo, OH — 17 mi12. Findlay WPCC, OH — 23 mi23. Findlay, OH — 26 mi34. Wauseon, OH — 29 mi45. Pandora, OH — 35 mi5
  1. near Toledo, OH 17 mi (28 km)
  2. Findlay WPCC, OH 23 mi (38 km)
  3. Findlay, OH 26 mi (41 km)
  4. Wauseon, OH 29 mi (47 km)
  5. Pandora, OH 35 mi (57 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: 41.3831, -83.6111.