U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00144178 · Kansas

Frost Dates for Kanopolis Lake, KS

NOAA weather station Kanopolis Lake (USC00144178), Kansas · elevation 1492 ft (455 m) · hardiness zone 6b*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 2only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 1950% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 2350% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season184 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6bcalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Kanopolis Lake, KSSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 184 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 23Frost season at Kanopolis Lake, KSSpring: a frost after April 4 in 9 years out of 10, after April 19 in half of the years, after May 2 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 8 in 1 year out of 10, before October 23 in half of the years, before November 5 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 184 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 19First frost ~Oct 23
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 29 years of NOAA records (1991–2020 normals)
ChanceLast frost in spring afterFirst frost in fall before
10% (unlikely)May 2October 8
50% (typical)April 19October 23
90% (likely)April 4November 5
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
184 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 7
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
November 1

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 18 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (1 day earlier). Frost-free season 185 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 Kanopolis Lake: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 2, 20% April 29, 30% April 25, 40% April 22, 50% April 19, 60% April 15, 70% April 12, 80% April 8, 90% April 4. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2021 April 22, 2022 April 27, 2023 April 25, 2024 April 12, 2025 April 9, 2026 April 20.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 2Apr 19Apr 42021: April 222022: April 272023: April 252024: April 122025: April 92026: April 20Fall at Kanopolis Lake: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 8, 20% October 14, 30% October 17, 40% October 20, 50% October 23, 60% October 25, 70% October 28, 80% November 1, 90% November 5. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2021 November 13, 2022 October 18, 2023 October 28, 2024 October 16, 2025 October 30.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 8Oct 23Nov 52021: November 132022: October 182023: October 282024: 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 22November 13
2022April 27October 18
2023April 25October 28
2024April 12October 16
2025April 9October 30
2026April 20season not over yet

What these dates mean

May 2 is the cautious spring date for Kanopolis Lake, carrying only a 10 % chance that a light frost will occur later and therefore allowing a gardener to set out tender crops with minimal risk. The median spring date, April 19, marks the point at which there is an even 50 % chance of a frost later, while the median fall date, October 23, indicates an even 50 % chance of a frost earlier.

The cautious fall date is October 8, when there is just a 10 % chance that a light frost has already arrived, guiding the latest safe time to finish harvesting tender crops. Hard-frost dates—April 7 in spring and November 1 in fall—are noted because temperatures of 28 °F can cause far greater damage to plants than the milder 32 °F 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 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 8" 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 Kanopolis Lake, KSNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Sterling, KS — 30 mi; 2 — Wilson Lake, KS — 38 mi; 3 — Minneapolis, KS — 38 mi; 4 — Abilene, KS — 46 mi; 5 — Hutchinson, KS — 47 mi.25 mi · 40 km1. Sterling, KS — 30 mi12. Wilson Lake, KS — 38 mi23. Minneapolis, KS — 38 mi34. Abilene, KS — 46 mi45. Hutchinson, KS — 47 mi5
  1. Sterling, KS 30 mi (49 km)
  2. Wilson Lake, KS 38 mi (61 km)
  3. Minneapolis, KS 38 mi (62 km)
  4. Abilene, KS 46 mi (74 km)
  5. Hutchinson, KS 47 mi (75 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: 38.6078, -97.9597.