U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USW00014827 · Indiana

Frost Dates for Fort Wayne, IN

NOAA weather station Fort Wayne International Airport (USW00014827), Indiana · elevation 791 ft (241 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 10only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season178 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Fort Wayne, INSpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 178 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Fort Wayne, INSpring: a frost after April 10 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 10 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 178 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 21
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.Today

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 10October 8
50% (typical)April 24October 21
90% (likely)April 10November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
178 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 12
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 25 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (1 day 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 Fort Wayne: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 10, 20% May 5, 30% May 1, 40% April 28, 50% April 24, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 15, 90% April 10. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 1, 2022 April 27, 2023 April 26, 2024 April 25, 2025 April 17, 2026 May 2.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 10Apr 24Apr 102021: May 12022: April 272023: April 262024: April 252025: April 172026: May 2Fall at Fort Wayne: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 12, 30% October 16, 40% October 18, 50% October 21, 60% October 23, 70% October 25, 80% October 29, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 27, 2022 October 8, 2023 October 23, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 21Nov 12021: October 272022: October 82023: October 232024: October 162025: October 24
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 1October 27
2022April 27October 8
2023April 26October 23
2024April 25October 16
2025April 17October 24
2026May 2season not over yet

What these dates mean

Setting out tender crops on the early spring date, April 10, carries a 90% chance of a frost later, making it a gamble for Fort Wayne gardeners. The cautious spring date is May 10, when only a 10% chance of a frost later remains. The 50% date is April 24, indicating an even odds of a frost later than this date. In the fall, the cautious date to finish harvesting tender crops is October 8, with only a 10% chance of a frost earlier. A gamble arises if crops are kept until November 1, which bears a 90% chance of a frost earlier. The 50% fall date is October 21, showing equal odds of a frost earlier than this date. The 50% hard-frost dates are April 12 and November 1; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants that survive a light frost at 32 °F.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 10" 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 Fort Wayne, INNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Bluffton, IN — 11 mi; 2 — Huntington, IN — 17 mi; 3 — Columbia City, IN — 19 mi; 4 — Berne, IN — 25 mi; 5 — Garrett, IN — 26 mi.INOHMI25 mi · 40 km1. Bluffton, IN — 11 mi12. Huntington, IN — 17 mi23. Columbia City, IN — 19 mi34. Berne, IN — 25 mi45. Garrett, IN — 26 mi5
  1. Bluffton, IN 11 mi (18 km)
  2. Huntington, IN 17 mi (28 km)
  3. Columbia City, IN 19 mi (31 km)
  4. Berne, IN 25 mi (41 km)
  5. Garrett, IN 26 mi (41 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: 40.9706, -85.2064.