U.S. Frost Dates by Weather Station

NOAA station USC00124662 · Indiana

Frost Dates for Kokomo, IN

NOAA weather station Kokomo 3 WSW (USC00124662), Indiana · elevation 822 ft (251 m) · hardiness zone 6a*

  • Lower-risk planting dateafter May 13only 1 spring in 10 still has a frost later
  • Typical last frostApril 2750% chance of a frost after it
  • Typical first fall frostOctober 1850% chance of a frost before it
  • Frost-free season174 daystypical year, 32°F
  • Hardiness zone6acalculated*

The year at a glance

Frost season at Kokomo, INSpring: a frost after April 13 in 9 years out of 10, after April 27 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 174 days.JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLast frost ~Apr 27First frost ~Oct 18Frost season at Kokomo, INSpring: a frost after April 13 in 9 years out of 10, after April 27 in half of the years, after May 13 in 1 year out of 10. Fall: the first frost comes before October 4 in 1 year out of 10, before October 18 in half of the years, before November 1 in 9 years out of 10. Typical frost-free season: 174 days.JFMAMJJASONDLast frost ~Apr 27First frost ~Oct 18
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 13October 4
50% (typical)April 27October 18
90% (likely)April 13November 1
Frost-free season (32°F, 50% chance)
174 days
Hard frost (28°F), last in spring, 50% chance after
April 15
Hard frost (28°F), first in fall, 50% chance before
October 29

The last 15 years (2006–2020 normals)

Typical last frost April 26 (1 day earlier than the 30-year normal), typical first fall frost October 22 (4 days later). Frost-free season 178 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 Kokomo: chance of a frost after this dateSpring, chance of a frost after the date: 10% May 13, 20% May 6, 30% May 3, 40% April 30, 50% April 27, 60% April 24, 70% April 21, 80% April 17, 90% April 13. Observed last spring frost in recent years: 2023 May 1, 2025 April 13, 2026 May 14.Spring: last frostChance of a frost after this date10%50%90%Apr 1May 1May 13Apr 27Apr 132023: May 12025: April 132026: May 14Fall at Kokomo: chance of a frost before this dateFall, chance of a frost before the date: 10% October 4, 20% October 9, 30% October 12, 40% October 15, 50% October 18, 60% October 20, 70% October 23, 80% October 27, 90% November 1. Observed first fall frost in recent years: 2022 October 8, 2023 October 31, 2024 October 17.Fall: first frostChance of a frost before this date10%50%90%Oct 1Nov 1Oct 4Oct 18Nov 12022: October 82023: October 312024: October 17
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
2021incomplete recordincomplete record
2022incomplete recordOctober 8
2023May 1October 31
2024incomplete recordOctober 17
2025April 13incomplete record
2026May 14season not over yet

What these dates mean

October 4 is the cautious fall date for finishing the harvest of tender crops in Kokomo, as it carries only a 10 % chance that a light frost has arrived earlier. Waiting until this date lets growers lower the risk of frost damage to late-season vegetables.

In spring the cautious date for setting out tender crops is May 13, when there is a 10 % chance of a light frost later than that day; planting on April 13 would be a gamble with a 90 % chance of frost. The 50 % date is April 27, meaning a light frost has a 50 % chance of occurring later than this date, and the 50 % fall date is October 18, meaning a light frost has a 50 % chance of occurring earlier than this date. The hard-frost 50 % dates are April 15 and October 29; a hard frost at 28 °F can damage plant tissue that survives 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 13" 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 4" 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 Kokomo, INNumbered nearest stations: 1 — Tipton, IN — 17 mi; 2 — near Frankfort, IN — 21 mi; 3 — near Logansport, IN — 23 mi; 4 — Marion, IN — 28 mi; 5 — Whitestown, IN — 33 mi.OHIL25 mi · 40 km1. Tipton, IN — 17 mi12. near Frankfort, IN — 21 mi23. near Logansport, IN — 23 mi34. Marion, IN — 28 mi45. Whitestown, IN — 33 mi5
  1. Tipton, IN 17 mi (27 km)
  2. near Frankfort, IN 21 mi (33 km)
  3. near Logansport, IN 23 mi (37 km)
  4. Marion, IN 28 mi (46 km)
  5. Whitestown, IN 33 mi (54 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: 40.4583, -86.1758.