U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00331515 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Cheviot, OH

NOAA weather station Cheviot (USC00331515), Ohio · elevation 891 ft (272 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 5only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season191 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cheviot, OHSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 26Frost season at Cheviot, OHSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 17 in half of the years, after May 5 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 11 in 1 year out of 10, before October 26 in half of the years, before November 7 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 191 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 17First frost ~Oct 26
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 5October 11
50% (typical)April 17October 26
90% (likely)April 2November 7
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
191 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 4
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 4

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 10 (7 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1 (6 days later). Frost-free season 205 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 Cheviot: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 5, 20% April 30, 30% April 24, 40% April 20, 50% April 17, 60% April 14, 70% April 11, 80% April 7, 90% April 2.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 5Apr 17Apr 2Fall at Cheviot: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 11, 20% October 17, 30% October 21, 40% October 23, 50% October 26, 60% October 28, 70% October 31, 80% November 3, 90% November 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 11Oct 26Nov 7
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.

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 2 in Cheviot is a gamble, because there is a 90 % chance of a light frost later than that date.

The 50 % light-frost date in spring is April 17; a gardener has an even chance of a frost occurring after this point. In fall the 50 % light-frost date is October 26, giving an even chance of a frost earlier than that point. The median hard-frost dates, when a 28 °F frost is as likely as not, are April 4 in spring and November 4 in fall. A hard frost can damage plants that survive a light frost, so it is a more critical threshold. For a low-risk plan, the cautious spring date is May 5 and the cautious fall date is October 11. The interval between the two 32 °F 50 % dates spans 191 days across the 26-year record.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 5" 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 11" 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 Cheviot, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Burlington, KY — 8 mi; 2 — near Cincinnati, OH — 12 mi; 3 — Fairfield, OH — 13 mi; 4 — Franklin, OH — 32 mi; 5 — Eaton, OH — 40 mi.OHINKY25 mi · 40 km1. near Burlington, KY — 8 mi12. near Cincinnati, OH — 12 mi23. Fairfield, OH — 13 mi34. Franklin, OH — 32 mi45. Eaton, OH — 40 mi5
  1. near Burlington, KY 8 mi (13 km)
  2. near Cincinnati, OH 12 mi (19 km)
  3. Fairfield, OH 13 mi (22 km)
  4. Franklin, OH 32 mi (52 km)
  5. Eaton, OH 40 mi (64 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: 39.1547, -84.6233.