U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00182906 · Maryland

Frost Dates for Emmitsburg, MD

NOAA weather station Emmitsburg 2 SE (USC00182906), Maryland · elevation 403 ft (123 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 9only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2250% 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 zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Emmitsburg, MDSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 9 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 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 179 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 22First frost ~Oct 20Frost season at Emmitsburg, MDSpring: a frost after April 7 in 9 years out of 10, after April 22 in half of the years, after May 9 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 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 179 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 22First 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 25 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 9October 7
50% (typical)April 22October 20
90% (likely)April 7November 2
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
179 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 9
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 31

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 15 (7 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 28 (8 days later). Frost-free season 193 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 Emmitsburg: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 9, 20% May 4, 30% April 30, 40% April 27, 50% April 22, 60% April 19, 70% April 16, 80% April 12, 90% April 7. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 4, 2022 April 30, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 22, 2025 April 18, 2026 April 21.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 9Apr 22Apr 72021: April 42022: April 302023: April 262024: April 222025: April 182026: April 21Fall at Emmitsburg: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 11, 30% October 14, 40% October 17, 50% October 20, 60% October 23, 70% October 26, 80% October 29, 90% November 2. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 3, 2022 October 21, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2025 October 25.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 7Oct 20Nov 22021: November 32022: October 212023: November 22024: October 282025: October 25
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 4November 3
2022April 30October 21
2023April 26November 2
2024April 22October 28
2025April 18October 25
2026April 21season not over yet

What these dates mean

Planting tender crops on April 7 in Emmitsburg is a gamble, because there is a 90 % chance of a light frost later that day. The later spring date, May 9, carries only a 10 % chance of a frost later, making it the cautious date for setting out tender crops. In fall, October 7 is the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops, with a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived; by November 2 the risk climbs to 90 % for a frost earlier.

The 50 % dates—April 22 in spring and October 20 in fall—are the points where the probability of a 32 °F light frost is even, giving gardeners a neutral benchmark. The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 9 and October 31; hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F, so it represents a more severe 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 9" 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 Emmitsburg, MDNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Biglerville, PA — 18 mi; 2 — Millers, MD — 26 mi; 3 — Chambersburg, PA — 26 mi; 4 — Shippensburg, PA — 29 mi; 5 — near Martinsburg, WV — 42 mi.MDWV25 mi · 40 km1. Biglerville, PA — 18 mi12. Millers, MD — 26 mi23. Chambersburg, PA — 26 mi34. Shippensburg, PA — 29 mi45. near Martinsburg, WV — 42 mi5
  1. Biglerville, PA 18 mi (29 km)
  2. Millers, MD 26 mi (41 km)
  3. Chambersburg, PA 26 mi (42 km)
  4. Shippensburg, PA 29 mi (47 km)
  5. near Martinsburg, WV 42 mi (67 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 39.6761, -77.2844.