U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00143594 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Herington, KS

NOAA weather station Herington (USC00143594), Kansas · elevation 1338 ft (408 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 8only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2450% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1450% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season173 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Herington, KSSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 14 in half of the years, before October 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 173 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 14Frost season at Herington, KSSpring: a frost after April 9 in 9 years out of 10, after April 24 in half of the years, after May 8 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before September 29 in 1 year out of 10, before October 14 in half of the years, before October 28 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 173 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 24First frost ~Oct 14
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 28 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 8September 29
50% (typical)April 24October 14
90% (likely)April 9October 28
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
173 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 13
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 24

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 23 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 18 (4 days later). Frost-free season 177 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 Herington: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 8, 20% May 4, 30% April 30, 40% April 27, 50% April 24, 60% April 21, 70% April 18, 80% April 14, 90% April 9. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 26, 2023 May 3, 2024 April 12, 2025 April 15, 2026 April 19.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 8Apr 24Apr 92021: April 222022: April 262023: May 32024: April 122025: April 152026: April 19Fall at Herington: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% September 29, 20% October 4, 30% October 9, 40% October 12, 50% October 14, 60% October 17, 70% October 20, 80% October 23, 90% October 28. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 30, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 7, 2024 October 14, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Sep 29Oct 14Oct 282021: October 302022: October 172023: October 72024: October 142025: October 30
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 22October 30
2022April 26October 17
2023May 3October 7
2024April 12October 14
2025April 15October 30
2026April 19season not over yet

What these dates mean

The 173 days between the 50% dates of April 24 and October 14 define the period in which most tender crops can be grown in Herington. The 50% date is April 24, marking an even-odds chance that a light frost will occur later, and the 50% date is October 14, marking an even-odds chance that a light frost will occur earlier.

A cautious spring schedule would wait until May 8, when there is only a 10 % chance of a light frost later, while a cautious fall plan would finish tender crops by September 29, when there is only a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived. Hard-frost 50% dates are April 13 and October 24; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue more severely than 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 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 29" 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 Herington, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — near Marion, KS — 21 mi; 2 — Abilene, KS — 23 mi; 3 — near Council Grove, KS — 24 mi; 4 — Cottonwood Falls, KS — 30 mi; 5 — Emporia, KS — 43 mi.KS25 mi · 40 km1. near Marion, KS — 21 mi12. Abilene, KS — 23 mi23. near Council Grove, KS — 24 mi34. Cottonwood Falls, KS — 30 mi45. Emporia, KS — 43 mi5
  1. near Marion, KS 21 mi (34 km)
  2. Abilene, KS 23 mi (37 km)
  3. near Council Grove, KS 24 mi (38 km)
  4. Cottonwood Falls, KS 30 mi (48 km)
  5. Emporia, KS 43 mi (69 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: 38.6656, -96.9494.