U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00141522 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Cimarron, KS

NOAA weather station Cimarron (USC00141522), Kansas · elevation 2703 ft (824 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 3only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season182 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Cimarron, KSSpring: a frost after April 6 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Cimarron, KSSpring: a frost after April 6 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 3 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 20 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 182 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 20
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 3October 7
50% (typical)April 20October 20
90% (likely)April 6November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
182 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 10
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 21 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (2 days later). Frost-free season 182 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 Cimarron: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 3, 20% April 30, 30% April 26, 40% April 23, 50% April 20, 60% April 17, 70% April 14, 80% April 10, 90% April 6. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 25, 2023 April 17, 2024 April 11, 2026 May 7.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 3Apr 20Apr 62021: April 222022: April 252023: April 172024: April 112026: May 7Fall at Cimarron: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 12, 30% October 15, 40% October 18, 50% October 20, 60% October 23, 70% October 25, 80% October 28, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 15, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 7Oct 20Nov 12021: October 162022: October 182023: October 152024: October 162025: October 19
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
2021April 22October 16
2022April 25October 18
2023April 17October 15
2024April 11October 16
2025incomplete recordOctober 19
2026May 7season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 3, which carries a 10% chance of a frost later than that date, is the cautious spring date and lets a gardener plan to set out tender crops.

The 50% light-frost dates are April 20 in spring and October 20 in fall; each marks the median point where a frost is equally likely. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 10 and October 29, indicating the even-odds moment for temperatures of 28 °F. The two 32 °F 50% dates—April 20 and October 20—are 182 days apart, reflecting the frost-free interval observed over the 26-year record.

October 7, with a 10% chance of a frost earlier than that date, is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 3" 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 7" 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 Cimarron, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Dodge City, KS — 21 mi; 2 — Garden City (Airport), KS — 22 mi; 3 — near Garden City, KS — 28 mi; 4 — Jetmore, KS — 35 mi; 5 — Lakin, KS — 50 mi.KS25 mi · 40 km1. Dodge City, KS — 21 mi12. Garden City (Airport), KS — 22 mi23. near Garden City, KS — 28 mi34. Jetmore, KS — 35 mi45. Lakin, KS — 50 mi5
  1. Dodge City, KS 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Garden City (Airport), KS 22 mi (36 km)
  3. near Garden City, KS 28 mi (46 km)
  4. Jetmore, KS 35 mi (57 km)
  5. Lakin, KS 50 mi (81 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: 37.8133, -100.3456.