U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00213104 · Minnesota

Frost Dates for Georgetown, MN

NOAA weather station Georgetown 1 E (USC00213104), Minnesota · elevation 885 ft (270 m) · hardiness zone 4a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 23only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostMay 950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season143 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone4acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Georgetown, MNSpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 18 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 143 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 1Frost season at Georgetown, MNSpring: a frost after April 26 in 9 years out of 10, after May 9 in half of the years, after May 23 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 18 in 1 year out of 10, before October 1 in half of the years, before October 16 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 143 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~May 9First frost ~Oct 1
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 23September 18
50% (typical)May 9October 1
90% (likely)April 26October 16
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
143 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 30
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 11

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost May 8 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 6 (5 days later). Frost-free season 151 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 Georgetown: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 23, 20% May 18, 30% May 15, 40% May 12, 50% May 9, 60% May 6, 70% May 3, 80% April 30, 90% April 26. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 May 28, 2022 May 21, 2023 May 2, 2024 April 24, 2025 April 29, 2026 May 8.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%May 1Jun 1May 23May 9Apr 262021: May 282022: May 212023: May 22024: April 242025: April 292026: May 8Fall at Georgetown: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 18, 20% September 22, 30% September 26, 40% September 28, 50% October 1, 60% October 3, 70% October 6, 80% October 10, 90% October 16. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 21, 2022 September 28, 2023 October 8, 2024 October 15, 2025 October 8.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Sep 18Oct 1Oct 162021: October 212022: September 282023: October 82024: October 152025: October 8
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 28October 21
2022May 21September 28
2023May 2October 8
2024April 24October 15
2025April 29October 8
2026May 8season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 23 is the cautious spring light-frost date for Georgetown, carrying only a 10 % chance that a 32 °F frost will occur later; this allows a gardener to set out tender crops with minimal risk.

The 50% spring date is May 9, marking a 50 % chance of a light frost later than this date, while the 50% fall date is October 1, marking a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier than this date. The median hard-frost dates are April 30 in spring and October 11 in fall; these are the points at which a 28 °F frost is equally likely to have occurred or not.

September 18 is the cautious fall light-frost date, with only a 10 % chance that a frost has arrived earlier, giving a gardener a reliable deadline to finish harvesting tender crops. Because a hard frost at 28 °F can injure or kill plants that tolerate a 32 °F light frost, the hard-frost dates are a more critical threshold for protecting crops.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 23" 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 18" 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 Georgetown, MNNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Fargo, ND — 11 mi; 2 — near Casselton, ND — 26 mi; 3 — Rothsay, MN — 47 mi; 4 — near Crookston, MN — 52 mi; 5 — McLeod, ND — 52 mi.MNND25 mi · 40 km1. near Fargo, ND — 11 mi12. near Casselton, ND — 26 mi23. Rothsay, MN — 47 mi34. near Crookston, MN — 52 mi45. McLeod, ND — 52 mi5
  1. near Fargo, ND 11 mi (17 km)
  2. near Casselton, ND 26 mi (41 km)
  3. Rothsay, MN 47 mi (76 km)
  4. near Crookston, MN 52 mi (83 km)
  5. McLeod, ND 52 mi (84 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 4a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 47.0792, -96.7758.