U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00093037 · Colorado

Frost Dates for Colorado Springs, CO

NOAA weather station Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (USW00093037), Colorado · elevation 6181 ft (1884 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 15only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 350% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season158 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Colorado Springs, COSpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 3 in half of the years, after May 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 8 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 158 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 3First frost ~Oct 8Frost season at Colorado Springs, COSpring: a frost after April 22 in 9 years out of 10, after May 3 in half of the years, after May 15 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 26 in 1 year out of 10, before October 8 in half of the years, before October 19 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 158 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 3First frost ~Oct 8
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 30 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 15September 26
50% (typical)May 3October 8
90% (likely)April 22October 19
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
158 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 24
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 16

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 4 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 12 (4 days later). Frost-free season 158 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 Colorado Springs: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 15, 20% May 11, 30% May 8, 40% May 6, 50% May 3, 60% May 1, 70% April 30, 80% April 27, 90% April 22. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2022 May 21, 2023 April 24, 2024 April 20, 2025 April 20, 2026 May 7.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1May 15May 3Apr 222021: April 242022: May 212023: April 242024: April 202025: April 202026: May 7Fall at Colorado Springs: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 26, 20% October 1, 30% October 3, 40% October 6, 50% October 8, 60% October 10, 70% October 13, 80% October 16, 90% October 19. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 13, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 19.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 26Oct 8Oct 192021: October 132022: October 172023: October 72024: 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 24October 13
2022May 21October 17
2023April 24October 7
2024April 20October 16
2025April 20October 19
2026May 7season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 158 days between the 50% dates in Colorado Springs outline the interval when light frosts are at even odds, with the median light-frost dates falling on May 3 in spring and October 8 in fall. During this span a gardener can expect the likelihood of a frost to be roughly balanced, while outside it the risk rises sharply.

The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is May 15, which carries a 10 % chance of a frost occurring later; planting earlier on April 22 would be a gamble with a 90 % chance. In the fall the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is September 26, reflecting only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, whereas waiting until October 19 would be a gamble with a 90 % chance.

A hard frost, recorded at 28 °F, can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F, making its 50 % dates of April 24 and October 16 especially significant.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 15" 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 September 26" 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 Colorado Springs, CONumbered nearest stations: 1 — Pueblo, CO — 37 mi; 2 — Canon City, CO — 38 mi; 3 — Lake George 8 SW, CO — 43 mi; 4 — Castle Rock, CO — 43 mi; 5 — Tacony, CO — 47 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Pueblo, CO — 37 mi12. Canon City, CO — 38 mi23. Lake George 8 SW, CO — 43 mi34. Castle Rock, CO — 43 mi45. Tacony, CO — 47 mi5
  1. Pueblo, CO 37 mi (60 km)
  2. Canon City, CO 38 mi (61 km)
  3. Lake George 8 SW, CO 43 mi (69 km)
  4. Castle Rock, CO 43 mi (69 km)
  5. Tacony, CO 47 mi (76 km)

Sources

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

Station coordinates: 38.81, -104.6883.