U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00143847 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Hudson, KS

NOAA weather station Hudson (USC00143847), Kansas · elevation 1867 ft (569 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1850% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2150% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season185 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hudson, KSSpring: a frost after April 3 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 185 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 21Frost season at Hudson, KSSpring: a frost after April 3 in 9 years out of 10, after April 18 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 5 in 1 year out of 10, before October 21 in half of the years, before November 2 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 185 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 18First frost ~Oct 21
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 26 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 5
50% (typical)April 18October 21
90% (likely)April 3November 2
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
185 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 30

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 20 (2 days later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (1 day later). Frost-free season 186 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 Hudson: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 28, 30% April 24, 40% April 21, 50% April 18, 60% April 14, 70% April 11, 80% April 7, 90% April 3. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 15, 2023 April 23, 2025 April 16, 2026 April 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 18Apr 32021: April 222022: April 152023: April 232025: April 162026: April 20Fall at Hudson: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 5, 20% October 12, 30% October 16, 40% October 18, 50% October 21, 60% October 24, 70% October 26, 80% October 29, 90% November 2. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 7.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 5Oct 21Nov 22021: November 132022: October 172023: October 7
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 15October 17
2023April 23October 7
2024incomplete recordincomplete record
2025April 16incomplete record
2026April 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

The cautious fall date in Hudson for finishing the harvest is October 5, when there is only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived. Gardeners who want to protect tender crops should aim to complete harvesting by that date.

The cautious spring date for setting out tender crops is May 2, with a 10% chance of a light frost later. The 50% light-frost dates are April 18 in spring and October 21 in fall; at each of these dates there is an even 50% chance of a frost occurring later (spring) or earlier (fall). Hard-frost median dates are April 7 and October 30, and a hard frost matters more than a light frost because the lower temperature can cause greater plant injury.

How to read the probabilities

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

  • Spring: "10% after May 2" 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 5" 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 Hudson, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Great Bend, KS — 20 mi; 2 — Sterling, KS — 26 mi; 3 — Pratt, KS — 30 mi; 4 — Hutchinson, KS — 36 mi; 5 — Kanopolis Lake, KS — 51 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Great Bend, KS — 20 mi12. Sterling, KS — 26 mi23. Pratt, KS — 30 mi34. Hutchinson, KS — 36 mi45. Kanopolis Lake, KS — 51 mi5
  1. Great Bend, KS 20 mi (32 km)
  2. Sterling, KS 26 mi (41 km)
  3. Pratt, KS 30 mi (49 km)
  4. Hutchinson, KS 36 mi (58 km)
  5. Kanopolis Lake, KS 51 mi (83 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: 38.1042, -98.6592.