U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00143074 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Girard, KS

NOAA weather station Girard (USC00143074), Kansas · elevation 990 ft (302 m) · hardiness zone 7a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter April 21only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostNovember 150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season209 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone7acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Girard, KSSpring: a frost after March 19 in 9 years out of 10, after April 4 in half of the years, after April 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 209 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 4First frost ~Nov 1Frost season at Girard, KSSpring: a frost after March 19 in 9 years out of 10, after April 4 in half of the years, after April 21 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 17 in 1 year out of 10, before November 1 in half of the years, before November 14 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 209 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 4First frost ~Nov 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.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)April 21October 17
50% (typical)April 4November 1
90% (likely)March 19November 14
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
209 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
March 26
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 9

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 6 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost November 1. Frost-free season 207 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 Girard: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% April 21, 20% April 14, 30% April 10, 40% April 6, 50% April 4, 60% April 1, 70% March 29, 80% March 24, 90% March 19. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 2, 2023 March 28, 2024 March 28, 2025 March 21, 2026 March 18.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1Apr 21Apr 4Mar 192021: April 222022: April 22023: March 282024: March 282025: March 212026: March 18Fall at Girard: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 17, 20% October 22, 30% October 26, 40% October 29, 50% November 1, 60% November 2, 70% November 5, 80% November 9, 90% November 14. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 30, 2024 November 22, 2025 November 2.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Nov 1Oct 17Nov 1Nov 142021: November 132022: October 182023: October 302024: November 222025: 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 22November 13
2022April 2October 18
2023March 28October 30
2024March 28November 22
2025March 21November 2
2026March 18season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Girard for finishing the harvest is October 17, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived. Counting on tender crops after that date would be a gamble, because a 90 % chance of frost exists by November 14.

For a gardener, the 50 % dates are reference points that split the probability of a light frost in half. The 50 % date is April 4, meaning a 50 % chance of a light frost later in spring, while the 50 % date is November 1, meaning a 50 % chance of a light frost earlier in fall. The cautious plan uses April 21 for setting out tender crops in spring and October 17 for ending the tender-crop harvest in fall. The median hard-frost date, March 26, and the median hard-frost date, November 9, matter more than the 32 °F dates because a hard frost can damage plants more severely than a light frost.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after April 21" 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 17" 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 Girard, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Fort Scott, KS — 23 mi; 2 — Columbus, KS — 23 mi; 3 — Parsons, KS — 26 mi; 4 — Lamar, MO — 31 mi; 5 — Joplin, MO — 31 mi.KSMO25 mi · 40 km1. Fort Scott, KS — 23 mi12. Columbus, KS — 23 mi23. Parsons, KS — 26 mi34. Lamar, MO — 31 mi45. Joplin, MO — 31 mi5
  1. Fort Scott, KS 23 mi (37 km)
  2. Columbus, KS 23 mi (37 km)
  3. Parsons, KS 26 mi (43 km)
  4. Lamar, MO 31 mi (50 km)
  5. Joplin, MO 31 mi (50 km)

Sources

* Hardiness zone 7a: zone derived from PRISM 2023 grid at the station location (not the official USDA map). Source data: PRISM Group, Oregon State University.

Station coordinates: 37.5081, -94.8394.