U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00142548 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Emporia, KS

NOAA weather station Emporia 3 NW (USC00142548), Kansas · elevation 1238 ft (377 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 30only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season190 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Emporia, KSSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Emporia, KSSpring: a frost after April 2 in 9 years out of 10, after April 15 in half of the years, after April 30 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 190 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 15First frost ~Oct 23
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)April 30October 8
50% (typical)April 15October 23
90% (likely)April 2November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
190 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 5
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 16 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 190 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 Emporia: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 30, 20% April 24, 30% April 21, 40% April 18, 50% April 15, 60% April 13, 70% April 9, 80% April 5, 90% April 2. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 23, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 29.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 30Apr 15Apr 22021: April 232025: March 212026: March 29Fall at Emporia: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 14, 30% October 18, 40% October 21, 50% October 23, 60% October 26, 70% October 29, 80% November 1, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 23Nov 52021: November 132025: November 2
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 23November 13
2022incomplete recordincomplete record
2023incomplete recordincomplete record
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025March 21November 2
2026March 29season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 8 marks the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Emporia, as there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. The median point for light-frost risk is the 50 % date of October 23; at that date the odds of frost occurring before or after are equal, indicating the middle of the season rather than a definitive frost event. In spring the equivalent median is April 15, and similar reasoning applies to the hard-frost median of April 5 and November 1.

For a low-risk plan, the spring cautious date for setting out tender crops is April 30, when a light frost later than that date has only a 10 % chance. In the fall the cautious date to complete harvesting tender crops is October 8, with only a 10 % chance that frost has already begun. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage or kill plants that survive a 32 °F light frost, so it represents a greater threat to garden productivity.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 30" 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 8" 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 Emporia, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Cottonwood Falls, KS — 18 mi; 2 — near Council Grove, KS — 23 mi; 3 — Cassoday, KS — 35 mi; 4 — Eureka, KS — 42 mi; 5 — Herington, KS — 43 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Cottonwood Falls, KS — 18 mi12. near Council Grove, KS — 23 mi23. Cassoday, KS — 35 mi34. Eureka, KS — 42 mi45. Herington, KS — 43 mi5
  1. Cottonwood Falls, KS 18 mi (29 km)
  2. near Council Grove, KS 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Cassoday, KS 35 mi (56 km)
  4. Eureka, KS 42 mi (67 km)
  5. Herington, KS 43 mi (69 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: 38.4294, -96.2189.