U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00332044 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Danville, OH

NOAA weather station Danville 2 W (USC00332044), Ohio · elevation 970 ft (296 m) · hardiness zone 5b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 19only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 250% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season157 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Danville, OHSpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 8 in half of the years, before October 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 157 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 2First frost ~Oct 8Frost season at Danville, OHSpring: a frost after April 20 in 9 years out of 10, after May 2 in half of the years, after May 19 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 24 in 1 year out of 10, before October 8 in half of the years, before October 21 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 157 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 2First 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 27 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 19September 24
50% (typical)May 2October 8
90% (likely)April 20October 21
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
157 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 22
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 20

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 30 (2 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 14 (6 days later). Frost-free season 164 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 Danville: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 19, 20% May 14, 30% May 9, 40% May 6, 50% May 2, 60% April 30, 70% April 27, 80% April 24, 90% April 20. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 14, 2022 April 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 19May 2Apr 202021: May 142022: April 29Fall at Danville: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 24, 20% September 30, 30% October 3, 40% October 5, 50% October 8, 60% October 11, 70% October 14, 80% October 17, 90% October 21. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 8.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 24Oct 8Oct 212021: November 32022: October 8
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 14November 3
2022April 29October 8
2023no datano data
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on April 20 in Danville is a gamble because a frost later than that date occurs with a 90 % chance. The cautious spring date for planting tender crops is May 19, when only a 10 % chance of a later frost remains. The 50 % spring date, May 2, marks the point at which a frost is as likely as not; it is not itself a frost date but tells gardeners that the risk is balanced on that day.

To finish harvesting tender crops in fall, the cautious date is September 24, when there is just a 10 % chance a frost has already arrived; waiting until October 21 would be a gamble with a 90 % chance of an earlier frost. The 50 % fall date, October 8, similarly indicates an even-odds point. Hard-frost dates—April 22 in spring and October 20 in fall—signify the median days when temperatures can reach 28 °F, a level that can injure plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, making hard frost the more serious threat.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 19" 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 24" 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 Danville, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Centerburg, OH — 21 mi; 2 — Millersburg, OH — 21 mi; 3 — Newark, OH — 25 mi; 4 — near Mansfield, OH — 29 mi; 5 — Wooster, OH — 31 mi.WV25 mi · 40 km1. Centerburg, OH — 21 mi12. Millersburg, OH — 21 mi23. Newark, OH — 25 mi34. near Mansfield, OH — 29 mi45. Wooster, OH — 31 mi5
  1. Centerburg, OH 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Millersburg, OH 21 mi (34 km)
  3. Newark, OH 25 mi (40 km)
  4. near Mansfield, OH 29 mi (46 km)
  5. Wooster, OH 31 mi (50 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5b: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 40.4389, -82.3042.