U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00143855 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Hugoton, KS

NOAA weather station Hugoton (USC00143855), Kansas · elevation 3110 ft (948 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2050% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2250% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season183 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Hugoton, KSSpring: a frost after April 5 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 183 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 22Frost season at Hugoton, KSSpring: a frost after April 5 in 9 years out of 10, after April 20 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 7 in 1 year out of 10, before October 22 in half of the years, before November 3 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 183 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 20First frost ~Oct 22
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 2October 7
50% (typical)April 20October 22
90% (likely)April 5November 3
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
183 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 9
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 30

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 21 (1 day later than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 23 (1 day later). Frost-free season 183 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 Hugoton: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 28, 30% April 25, 40% April 23, 50% April 20, 60% April 17, 70% April 14, 80% April 10, 90% April 5. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 17, 2023 April 16, 2024 April 9, 2025 April 16.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 20Apr 52021: April 222022: April 172023: April 162024: April 92025: April 16Fall at Hugoton: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 7, 20% October 13, 30% October 16, 40% October 19, 50% October 22, 60% October 24, 70% October 26, 80% October 30, 90% November 3. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 October 16, 2022 October 17, 2023 October 16, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 7Oct 22Nov 32021: October 162022: October 172023: October 162024: October 162025: 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 16
2022April 17October 17
2023April 16October 16
2024April 9October 16
2025April 16October 30
2026incomplete recordseason not over yet

What these dates mean

October 7 is the cautious fall date in Hugoton for finishing the harvest, with only a 10% chance that a light frost has arrived earlier.

The 50% date is April 20; at that point the odds of a light frost are even in spring. The 50% date is October 22; at that point the odds of a light frost are even in fall. The hard-frost 50% dates are April 9 and October 30, marking the median moment when temperatures reach 28 °F. A hard frost at 28 °F can damage plants more severely than a light frost at 32 °F.

For tender crops the cautious spring plan uses May 2, which has a 10% chance of a light frost later than that date, whereas April 5 carries a 90% chance and is a gamble. The cautious fall plan relies on October 7, while November 3 represents a 90% chance of a light frost earlier and is likewise risky.

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 7" 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 Hugoton, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Ulysses, KS — 30 mi; 2 — Lakin, KS — 54 mi; 3 — Walsh, CO — 55 mi; 4 — Garden City (Airport), KS — 63 mi; 5 — near Garden City, KS — 64 mi.CO25 mi · 40 km1. Ulysses, KS — 30 mi12. Lakin, KS — 54 mi23. Walsh, CO — 55 mi34. Garden City (Airport), KS — 63 mi45. near Garden City, KS — 64 mi5
  1. Ulysses, KS 30 mi (48 km)
  2. Lakin, KS 54 mi (87 km)
  3. Walsh, CO 55 mi (88 km)
  4. Garden City (Airport), KS 63 mi (101 km)
  5. near Garden City, KS 64 mi (103 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: 37.1639, -101.34.