U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00332928 · Ohio

Frost Dates for Franklin, OH

NOAA weather station Franklin (USC00332928), Ohio · elevation 679 ft (207 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 11only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1950% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season178 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Franklin, OHSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 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 19Frost season at Franklin, OHSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 11 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 19 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 19
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 11October 7
50% (typical)April 24October 19
90% (likely)April 9November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
178 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 11
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (4 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (3 days later). Frost-free season 184 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 Franklin: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 11, 20% May 5, 30% May 1, 40% April 28, 50% April 24, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 14, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 24, 2025 April 17, 2026 May 3.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 11Apr 24Apr 92021: April 242025: April 172026: May 3Fall at Franklin: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 11, 30% October 13, 40% October 16, 50% October 19, 60% October 21, 70% October 24, 80% October 27, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 28, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 24.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 7Oct 19Nov 12021: October 282024: 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
2021April 24October 28
2022incomplete recordno data
2023no dataincomplete record
2024incomplete recordOctober 16
2025April 17October 24
2026May 3season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 178 days between the 32°F 50% dates, April 24 and October 19, define the span in which light frosts are less likely for Franklin gardeners. The 50% dates mark the point where the chance of a light frost later (in spring) or earlier (in fall) is even, indicating a median odds threshold.

For a cautious planting schedule, the spring cautious date is May 11, when there is only a 10% chance of a light frost later, while the fall cautious date is October 7, with a 10% chance of a light frost earlier. The hard-frost 50% dates, April 11 and October 29, show when a 28°F frost is equally likely, and hard frosts matter more than light frosts because the lower temperature can cause greater damage to tender plant tissue.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 11" 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 Franklin, OHNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Dayton MCD, OH — 16 mi; 2 — Fairfield, OH — 20 mi; 3 — Eaton, OH — 21 mi; 4 — Xenia, OH — 22 mi; 5 — Dayton, OH — 25 mi.OHIN25 mi · 40 km1. Dayton MCD, OH — 16 mi12. Fairfield, OH — 20 mi23. Eaton, OH — 21 mi34. Xenia, OH — 22 mi45. Dayton, OH — 25 mi5
  1. Dayton MCD, OH 16 mi (26 km)
  2. Fairfield, OH 20 mi (33 km)
  3. Eaton, OH 21 mi (34 km)
  4. Xenia, OH 22 mi (36 km)
  5. Dayton, OH 25 mi (40 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: 39.5536, -84.3189.