U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00013985 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Dodge City, KS

NOAA weather station Dodge City (USW00013985), Kansas · elevation 2590 ft (789 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 4only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2150% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2050% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season179 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Dodge City, KSSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 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: 179 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 21First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Dodge City, KSSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 21 in half of the years, after May 4 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 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: 179 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 21First 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.

Frost dates (32°F)

Probability of frost, based on 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 4October 4
50% (typical)April 21October 20
90% (likely)April 7November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
179 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 11
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 28

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (2 days later). Frost-free season 180 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 Dodge City: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 4, 20% April 30, 30% April 27, 40% April 24, 50% April 21, 60% April 19, 70% April 15, 80% April 12, 90% April 7. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 25, 2023 April 23, 2024 April 21, 2025 April 15, 2026 April 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 4Apr 21Apr 72021: April 222022: April 252023: April 232024: April 212025: April 152026: April 19Fall at Dodge City: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 10, 30% October 14, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 22, 70% October 25, 80% October 28, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 1, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 29.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 20Nov 12021: November 12022: October 172023: October 72024: October 162025: October 29
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 22November 1
2022April 25October 17
2023April 23October 7
2024April 21October 16
2025April 15October 29
2026April 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date of April 7 is a gamble; a 90 % chance of a light frost later that day can hurt seedlings. The cautious spring date for tender crops is May 4, when only a 10 % chance of a light frost remains.

The 50 % date in spring is April 21, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date. In fall, the 50 % date is October 20, meaning there is a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date. A cautious plan finishes harvesting tender crops by the fall cautious date of October 4, which carries only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived, while counting on crops through November 1 would be a gamble with a 90 % chance of frost.

Hard frosts at 28 °F—recorded by the 50 % dates of April 11 in spring and October 28 in fall—are more damaging than light frosts at 32 °F because the lower temperature can kill plant tissue that survives a light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 4" 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 4" 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 Dodge City, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cimarron, KS — 21 mi; 2 — Jetmore, KS — 30 mi; 3 — Ashland, KS — 41 mi; 4 — Garden City (Airport), KS — 43 mi; 5 — Coldwater, KS — 49 mi.OK25 mi · 40 km1. Cimarron, KS — 21 mi12. Jetmore, KS — 30 mi23. Ashland, KS — 41 mi34. Garden City (Airport), KS — 43 mi45. Coldwater, KS — 49 mi5
  1. Cimarron, KS 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Jetmore, KS 30 mi (49 km)
  3. Ashland, KS 41 mi (66 km)
  4. Garden City (Airport), KS 43 mi (69 km)
  5. Coldwater, KS 49 mi (78 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: 37.7608, -99.9683.