U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00203096 · Michigan

Frost Dates for Gaylord, MI

NOAA weather station Gaylord (USC00203096), Michigan · elevation 1318 ft (402 m) · hardiness zone 5a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter June 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 2550% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostSeptember 2650% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season125 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone5acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Gaylord, MISpring: a frost after May 8 in 9 years out of 10, after May 25 in half of the years, after June 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 13 in 1 year out of 10, before September 26 in half of the years, before October 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 125 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 25First frost ~Sep 26Frost season at Gaylord, MISpring: a frost after May 8 in 9 years out of 10, after May 25 in half of the years, after June 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 13 in 1 year out of 10, before September 26 in half of the years, before October 9 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 125 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 25First frost ~Sep 26
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)June 8September 13
50% (typical)May 25September 26
90% (likely)May 8October 9
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
125 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
May 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 7

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 22 (3 days earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 1 (5 days later). Frost-free season 131 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 Gaylord: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% June 8, 20% June 3, 30% May 31, 40% May 28, 50% May 25, 60% May 22, 70% May 19, 80% May 15, 90% May 8. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 30, 2022 May 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1Jun 8May 25May 82021: May 302022: May 18Fall at Gaylord: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 13, 20% September 18, 30% September 21, 40% September 24, 50% September 26, 60% September 29, 70% October 1, 80% October 4, 90% October 9. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 18, 2022 September 23.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Sep 1Oct 1Sep 13Sep 26Oct 92021: October 182022: September 23
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 30October 18
2022May 18September 23
2023no datano data
2024no datano data
2025no datano data
2026no dataseason not over yet

What these dates mean

June 8 marks the cautious spring light-frost date in Gaylord, offering a gardener a low-risk day to set out tender crops because only a 10 % chance of a frost remains after that point.

The median light-frost dates are May 25 and September 26; each represents an even 50 % chance that a frost will occur later (in spring) or earlier (in fall). The median hard-frost dates are May 13 and October 7, and a hard frost can damage plants more seriously than a light frost, so those dates signal when severe cold becomes as likely as not.

For the autumn season, September 13 serves as the cautious fall light-frost date, giving a gardener a point at which there is only a 10 % chance that a frost has already arrived, useful for timing the final harvest of tender crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after June 8" 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 September 13" 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 Gaylord, MINumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Boyne City, MI — 14 mi; 2 — Vanderbilt, MI — 16 mi; 3 — Grayling, MI — 26 mi; 4 — Petoskey, MI — 27 mi; 5 — Kalkaska, MI — 31 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. near Boyne City, MI — 14 mi12. Vanderbilt, MI — 16 mi23. Grayling, MI — 26 mi34. Petoskey, MI — 27 mi45. Kalkaska, MI — 31 mi5
  1. near Boyne City, MI 14 mi (22 km)
  2. Vanderbilt, MI 16 mi (26 km)
  3. Grayling, MI 26 mi (42 km)
  4. Petoskey, MI 27 mi (43 km)
  5. Kalkaska, MI 31 mi (50 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 5a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 45.0333, -84.7114.